By Cara Beth Lewis
Dr. Teresa (Terri ) Duncan shared today’s COVID-19 update with Bladen Online, and again, the numbers have risen. Today, there are 221 active cases in Bladen County. When we last updated on Friday, there were 185 cases. A “Delta variant” of the virus has been rapidly spreading throughout the United States; Perhaps it has something to do with the constant rise in cases we are experiencing, but we do not know for sure.
Delta is the name for the B.1.617.2. variant, a SARS-CoV-2 mutation that initially surfaced in India, according to yalemedicine.org. This variant of the virus was first detected in the US in March of 2021. The CDC describes the Delta variant as “more transmissible than the common cold and influenza.”
The CDC also stated, “The highest spread of cases and severe outcomes are happening in places with low vaccination rates, and virtually all hospitalizations and deaths have been among the unvaccinated.” The NCDHHS Dashboard reports 40% of Bladen residents have received a least one dose, and 35% are fully vaccinated. You can find the percentage for all counties on the NCDHHS Covid Dashboard>Vaccinations tab.
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