ELIZABETHTOWN — Bladen County has recorded its first December death linked to COVID-19.
The Health Department here released statistics on Wednesday that included the fatality. It is the first since Oct. 27.
Five people were listed hospitalized, and there are 66 cases considered active. The number of recoveries this month is 186, and the number of positive tests is 193.
The state Department of Health and Human Services, which ceased publishing updates for the Christmas weekend with Wednesday’s data release, said 1,680 were hospitalized statewide and 19,233 have died since the pandemic began nearly two years ago. The next data release is scheduled for Tuesday.
In the DHHS report on outbreaks and clusters, Bladen East Health and Rehab remains on the outbreak list and the cluster list includes Bladenboro Primary, Bladenboro Middle and West Bladen High. The state defines outbreaks as two or more cases at congregate living settings, and clusters as five or more at child care facilities or schools. This is the final report for 2021; DHHS is not going to publish this report next week, according to its website.