COVID-19 Spread Drops Across State But Remains High In Iredell

IREDELL COUNTY, NC — A third of North Carolina counties lowered the spread of coronavirus in their communities in the past two weeks, according to a new County Alert report by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released Monday.

As of Feb. 22, North Carolina health officials reported 27 counties continued to have high spread of COVID-19, down from 61 reported in early February. Forty communities have substantial community spread, up from 33 reported Feb. 4 and 33 counties had significant community spread, up from six reported earlier in the month.

In Iredell County as well as 26 other counties in the state, COVID-19 metrics, such as new daily cases and hospitalizations, remain high with community spread remaining at a critical level, DHHS said. As of Feb. 22, Iredell County reported nearly 16,100 positive cases and at least 196 deaths from COVID-19.

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Counties listed as having critical community spread based upon their new cases over a 14-day period, as well as either a percent positive rate greater than 10 percent, or by having a high impact on county hospitals.

North Carolina counties that remain in the critical "red" tier as of Feb. 22 include:

• Alexander County — 10.4 percent positivity
• Alleghany County — 11.1 percent positivity
• Camden County — 13.5 percent positivity
• Catawba County — 11.6 percent positivity
• Cherokee County — 11.4 percent positivity
• Chowan County — 10.1 percent positivity
• Cumberland County — 11.5 percent positivity
• Currituck County — 10.2 percent positivity
• Davidson County — 10.6 percent positivity
• Gaston County — 10.3 percent positivity
• Gates County — 12.8 percent positivity
• Halifax County — 11.3 percent positivity
• Hoke County — 11.9 percent positivity
• Iredell County — 11.9 percent positivity
• Lee County — 11.2 percent positivity
• Macon County — 11.8 percent positivity
• Montgomery County — 10.3 percent positivity
• Moore County — 8.2 percent positivity
• Nash County — 10.1 percent positivity
• Perquimans County — 11.3 percent positivity
• Person County — 10.9 percent positivity
• Randolph County — 10.9 percent positivity
• Rowan County — 11.1 percent positivity
• Scotland County — 7.9 percent positivity
• Stokes County — 11.7 percent positivity
• Surry County — 16.2 percent positivity
• Washington County — 14.8 percent positivity

Overall, the report reflects the lowest number of counties with critical levels of community spread since the state launched the County Alert System, DHHS said.

"Although North Carolina’s key metrics remain high, they are moving in a positive direction with decreasing trends in numbers of COVID-19 cases reported each day, people being hospitalized with COVID-19, people in the intensive care unit, and the percent of tests that are positive," DHHS said. "Continued adherence to the 3Ws – wearing a face mask, waiting six feet apart, and washing hands often – along with the start of vaccinations are slowing the spread of the virus."

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