Iredell County Reports 620 New COVID-19 Cases In One Week

MOORESVILLE, NC — Iredell County's number of known coronavirus cases rose to 6,404 Monday, according to county health department data. The new cases mean Iredell County has confirmed at least 620 new cases of COVID-19 since Monday, Nov. 30.

At least 56 county residents were hospitalized for COVID-19 illness Monday, up from 25 hospitalizations reported Thursday.

Iredell County's coronavirus death toll also increased over the weekend, to 77 deaths, reflecting an increase of 11 lives lost to the virus in the span of seven days.

As of Dec. 8, the spread of coronavirus in North Carolina increased by 4,670 new cases, increasing the statewide tally to at least 404,032 confirmed cases. At least 5,605 deaths from coronavirus have been reported in North Carolina since March, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported. As of Tuesday, the percentage of positive tests in North Carolina was 9.7 percent.

Iredell County health officials group cases into three regions of the county: North, Central and South. Here's a breakdown of how many cases were confirmed in each region as of 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7:

North Region (zip codes 27020, 27028, 27055, 28625, 28634, 28636, 28660, 28689 and 28678)

• 1,279 cases (up from 1,234 cases reported Dec. 4)

Central Region (zip codes 27013, 28166, 28677)

• 2,570 cases (up from 2,498 cases reported Dec. 4)

South Region (zip codes 28036, 28115, 28117, 28125)

• 2,555 cases (up from 2,492 cases reported Dec. 4)

SEE ALSO: Coronavirus Spread In Iredell County: See Your Risk Of Exposure

While cases continue to mount, there is optimistic news on the horizon, according to Gov. Roy Cooper, who outlined North Carolina's COVID-19 vaccination plan last week. As soon as a vaccine is federal approved, the state is on track to receive 84,800 doses, which will be initially prioritized for frontline healthcare workers and those living and working in long term care facilities.

SEE ALSO: Most In NC Will Seek Coronavirus Vaccine: Survey Results

Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna have applied for authorization by the Food and Drug Administration to begin using their COVID-19 vaccines. The FDA is set to review Pfizer's application Dec. 10 and Moderna's application on Dec. 17. Both companies have reported data showing they are at least 94 percent or more effective in preventing COVID-19.

Once vaccines are federally cleared for use, they could begin arriving in North Carolina by mid December. Vaccinations will be free for all state residents, regardless of insurance coverage, Cooper added.

Globally, more than 67.8 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and more than 1.5 million people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Tuesday afternoon. In the United States, about 14.9 million people have been infected and more than 284,000 people have died from COVID-19.

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