29 New COVID-19 Cases Reported In Iredell County: ICHD

IREDELL COUNTY — Health officials in Iredell County reported 377 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 Wednesday up from 348 reported Monday. The June 9 tally represents an increase of 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since Tuesday, June 2.

The number of known cases is increasing as testing efforts expand throughout the county and state.

"During the last two weeks there has been a county-wide increase in testing as a result of the fewer restrictions required for testing," Meghan Redford, spokesperson for the Iredell County Health Department, told Patch Monday. "Individuals no longer have to be symptomatic to receive a COVID-19 test."

ICHD has tested more than 800 county residents at community testing events in the past two weeks. Testing has also expanded to some local pharmacies, and become available for close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases, she said.

"These are all factors that contribute to the recent increase in positive COVID-19 cases in Iredell County," Redford said.

As of Wednesday afternoon, five county residents were hospitalized for a COVID-19 related illness. Six county residents have lost their lives due to COVID-19 since collection of data related to the outbreak began in March.

About 6 percent of the county's confirmed cases were children under 17 years of age, ICHD data indicated Wednesday. Most of the cases — about 44 percent — were of residents who were 25 to 49 years old.

The county's COVID-19 case tally is cumulative and, as of June 9, included an estimated 203 cases that are assumed recovered, according to the health department. At least 144 Iredell County residents with the new coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, were isolating in their homes.

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Iredell County health officials are grouping cases into three regions of the county: North, Central and South. Here's a breakdown of where cases have been confirmed as of 4 p.m. June 10:

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

• 89 cases (up from 73 cases reported June 5)

Central Region (zip codes 27013, 28166, 28677)

• 144 cases (up from 119 cases reported June 5)

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

• 144 cases (up from 135 cases reported June 5)

The county's COVID-19 count includes a confirmed outbreak at The Citadel nursing home in Mooresville, where one staff member and one resident have tested positive. Health officials consider two or more cases at congregate living facilities, such as a nursing home or jail, to be an outbreak. As of Wednesday, state public health officials confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks in 102 nursing homes, 54 residential care facilities and 19 correctional facilities.

North Carolina labs confirmed 1,011 cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, increasing the state's total number to more than 38,000. There were 24 new coronavirus-related deaths reported in North Carolina since Tuesday, pushing the death toll to 1,053, NC Department of Health and Human Services said.

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