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Last week the county added 18 cases

POLK COUNTY—After adding only 5 cases the week prior, Polk County added another 18 cases of COVID-19 last week, according to figures provided by the Polk County Health and Human Service Agency last Friday, March 19. 

The county has now had 1,407 cases over the last almost year. Of the positive cases, 1,357 are presumed recovered and 28 people have died. Last week’s percent positive was 2.3 percent, which is down from prior weeks. 

There have been 64 positive cases from the county who have been hospitalized. 

Polk County’s cases peaked in August 2020, with the largest peak so far being in late December and January. The cases have declined to about the lowest points in the last few weeks. 

The county has completed a total of 18,490 tests since last year. 

Most of the positive cases have been in females at 54.44 percent and males at 45.56 percent, according to the latest data.

Most of the positive cases also continue to be in people age 25-49 years old, followed by people age 50-64, people 65-74, people 75 and above, people 0-17 and people 18-24. 

The county has switched to focus on vaccinating people. Polk County is currently vaccinating people in groups 1-4. 

As of last Friday, Polk County had vaccinated 9,800 people, including 2,709 of those who had been given both vaccinations. 

The county is doing mass vaccinations at the Tryon International Equestrian Center every week and did a special vaccination at the Meeting Place Senior Center in Columbus on Wednesday. 

For more information or to get on the list to get vaccinated, people can fill out a survey through a special COVID-19 tab at polknc.org or call the county’s COVID-19 message line at 828-722-5086.