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Polk picked up another 13 cases last week

POLK COUNTY—Polk County had its highest percent positive rate last week of COVID-19 in quite some time at 6.9 percent and picked up another 13 cases of the virus. 

The Polk County Health and Human Service Agency released its COVID-19 data last Friday, with the county now having a total of 1,561 cases since March 2020. That is up from 1,548 cases the week prior and 1,538 cases 2 weeks ago. 

The week prior, the county hit a 4.8 percent positivity rate, which was the highest positivity rate in the last couple of months. 

The county remains at 31 deaths from the virus and has had 73 hospitalizations, which is up by 1 person since the week prior. 

Polk County Health and Human Service Director Josh Kennedy said recently the number of people coming in for a vaccine is down to a trickle and 66 percent of residents in the county remain unvaccinated. 

Kennedy said the slow pace of vaccinations comes as case numbers climb among the unvaccinated, who make up 99 percent of new cases. 

As of Friday, 44.3 percent of Polk County residents have been vaccinated. 

There have been 9,750 Polk residents who have received at least 1 dose and 9,178 Polk residents who have been fully vaccinated, according to the county’s report on Friday. 

The county has completed 22,161 tests since last year. 

Positive cases have continued to be more prevalent in females in Polk County at 54.98 percent, compared to males at 45.02 percent. 

Vaccines are free for anyone and are now being administered to everyone age 12 and older in North Carolina. 

Most cases have continued to be in people age 25-49, followed by people age 50-64; people age 75 and above; people age 65-74; people age 0-17 and people age 18-24, according to the latest report. 

To schedule an appointment with the county people can call the Polk County COVID message line at 828-722-5086. More information is also available on a special COVID-19 tab located at polknc.org. 

Local pharmacies are also now giving vaccines.