A person has died in Rowan County from COVID-19, county officials confirm

A person in Rowan County has died as a result of COVID-19, according to local health officials.

“The Rowan County Health Department has confirmed that a patient who tested positive for COVID-19 has died,” officials said late Friday. “The patient was in the high risk category due to age and underlying medical conditions.”

Rowan County as of Friday night reported 14 cases of the new coronavirus.

There have been five deaths in North Carolina from COVID-19.

The coronavirus claimed its first two deaths in North Carolina on Tuesday and Wednesday, both in Cabarrus County just east of Charlotte.

A Cabarrus County resident in his 70s died of complications of coronavirus on Tuesday, state officials said. The man, who was not identified because of federal privacy laws, had several underlying medical conditions. Another person, from Virginia, also died in Cabarrus County while traveling in North Carolina.

On Thursday, officials in Harnett County said a resident in his late 30s succumbed to the coronavirus. And on Friday, Johnston County officials said a person there had died from the disease the virus causes.

Virgina pastor died in North Carolina from COVID-19

Roanoke, Va.’s WDBJ reported that Landon Spradlin, a 66-year-old minister who had pastored in Gretna, Va., died Wednesday morning at a Concord hospital. Spradlin had been admitted on March 17, family members told the station, and had suffered from bronchitis and asthma.

More than 1,000 people in the United States have died from COVID-19, CNN reported Friday.

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.

This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 7:50 PM.