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Stanly County recently passed the 2,400 mark in cumulative coronavirus cases since the pandemic first began in March.

The county has reported 2,409 cases, with 14 people hospitalized and 68 people having died as a result of the coronavirus, as of Thursday, according to data from the county health department. There are 242 active cases and 2,099 people who had the virus have recovered. More than 16,500 tests have been administered.

Over the past few days, according to county data, the county appears to have experienced fewer daily cases. From Oct. 19-21, for instance, the county reported only four new cases while only eight new cases were reported on Oct. 22. This is a change from a few weeks ago, when the county was experiencing more than 20 cases a day.

With an estimated 378 cases per 10,000 residents, the county still ranks in the top echelon in the state in cases per capita, according to NCDHHS data.

Stanly has five current outbreaks inside congregate living facilities, the largest of which is at the Albemarle Correctional Institution where 363 inmates have tested positive and three have died. That is the third largest outbreak in the state prison system behind only Neuse Correctional Institution in Goldsboro, which has had 465 cases, and Scotland Correctional Institution, which has had 417 cases. An outbreak is defined as two or more laboratory-confirmed cases.

The other outbreaks in the county include Stanly Manor with 75 cases and six deaths, Bethany Woods with 40 cases, The Taylor House with 16 cases and one death and Spring Arbor with three cases.

Stanly’s positivity rate, which is the percentage of all coronavirus tests performed that are actually positive, is still a concern. It is currently 7.2 percent, which is higher than the state’s overall rate of 5.9 percent.

Albemarle continues to lead the county with around 1,087 cases and 49 deaths, followed by New London with 569 cases and four deaths, Norwood with roughly 234 cases and three deaths, Locust with 151 cases and Oakboro with 134 cases and three deaths, according to NCDHHS data.

Statewide, there have been roughly 3.7 million tests conducted resulting in 252,992 cases. Hospitalizations have gradually been increasing recently with 1,205 people currently hospitalized, while 4,082 people have died.

As coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and positivity rate have been on the rise throughout the past week, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday that Phase 3, which was to expire Oct. 23, would remain in place for three more weeks. The state has been in Phase 3 since Oct. 2. It allowed movie theaters, amusement parks and outdoor venues to open at reduced capacity. It also allowed bars to open (with limited outdoor capacity) for the first time since March.

“Like states across the country, our numbers continue to be higher than we want. So our work to contain this virus remains critical,” Cooper said during the news conference.

Since the surge in cases is not linked to any age group, activity, industry or community, NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen  suggested fatigue associated with prevention measures — such as wearing a mask, waiting at least six feet apart and washing hands — could be to blame.