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The Halifax County Health Department today reported two additional deaths related to COVID-19, which bring the total to 61.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 dashboard, the two related deaths were reported from within the Roanoke Rapids area ZIP code and bring the total from that area to 32.

The breakdown of related deaths is as follows: 32 within the Roanoke Rapids area ZIP code; nine within the Scotland Neck area ZIP code; seven within the Enfield area ZIP code; six within the Weldon area ZIP code; two within the Halifax area ZIP code; two within the Hollister area ZIP code; two within the Littleton area ZIP code; and one within the Hobgood area ZIP code.

Health Director Bruce Robistow said as of Wednesday’s report, which showed 59 related deaths, 14 of the 59 were in the 50-64 age group; 16 were in the 65-74 age group; and 29 were in the 75 and older group.

Thirty-six of those who have died were female and 23 male.

The health department today also added 84 new positive cases which bring the total cumulative positives to 3,625.

Robistow said data on new positives represents new cases.

There continues to be a sustained increase in the number of positive cases, the health department said.

“This is all still a culmination of the holiday season and winter months causing larger gatherings held inside and bringing in people from various locations and the necessity to have gatherings indoors,” Robistow said.

The health department also reported in the last two-and-a-half weeks, it has vaccinated approximately 1,750 people. “Our health department is working collaboratively with Rural Health Group, DrugCo, Vidant North and Halifax County EMS to vaccinate the citizens of Halifax County.”

The vaccinations do not come without problems, Robistow said. “The biggest complications for health departments across the state is the lack of efficiency and ability to work with the COVID-19 information system because we cannot enter data into the system.”

He said this has caused the state and federal system to not have accurate data on how many vaccines have been given and therefore impacts the number of replacement vaccines.

To correct the issue, Vidant North has provided the county with 750 doses this week. “Because we are having difficulty with the system we reached out to (Halifax County Emergency Operations Director) Buddy Wrenn and have requested six National Guard personnel proficient in this system. Halifax County leadership has reached out to volunteers to assist the department with data entry and the response has been impressive.”

The health department today received 600 doses for next week.

Meanwhile, the Reuters news agency reported this week that immunity from the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine should last at least a year.

The news agency reported the drugmaker said it was confident that the messenger RNA (mRNA) technology it used was well suited to deploy a vaccine based on the new variant of the coronavirus which has emerged in a handful of countries.

Northampton County

The health department reported Wednesday there were 1,304 total positive cases of which 1,117 have recovered. There were 127 active cases.

There have been 60 related deaths.