State And Local Leaders Respond To Forsyth County's Rising COVID-19 Cases

There were 97 cases of COVID-19 in Forsyth County on Thursday — the largest single-day increase since the pandemic began.

That brings the county's overall total to 1,160. Of those, 568 residents have recovered.

Early case numbers in Forsyth County were relatively low. But over the past several weeks, they've risen steadily. And now Forsyth's rate of cases per 100,000 is higher than the state's.

Forsyth is one area that North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen says state leaders are watching closely.

“We are doing a lot more testing in the Triad in particular," she says. "We knew that was an area of lower testing rate earlier on in the pandemic. But it also says we have to be modest and slow in the kinds of activities that we are taking because we are seeing more viral spread.”

Forsyth County Public Health Director Joshua Swift says the drastic increase in COVID-19 numbers is concerning. Swift says his department has intensified outreach to the Hispanic community, which accounts for 57 percent of the cases.   

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.