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Editor s Note: The COVID-19-related deaths of 72 Wilkes County residents were reported by the end of 2020.
The Wilkes Health Department had reported 68 COVID-19-associated deaths of Wilkes County residents by the end of the day Tuesday, including 17 reported in December.
The Wilkes County Health Department reported the most recent two deaths at 5 p.m. Tuesday, which was past the deadline for Wednesday s printed issue of the Wilkes Journal-Patriot. One, a person in his/her 90s, died Monday. The other, in his/her 70s, died Tuesday.
Most of the deaths reported this month were people in their 70s to 90s, but officials said some were considerably younger. Many of the deaths were associated with outbreaks at long-term assisted living facilities.
Staff Photo â Jule Hubbard
Free drive-thru COVID-19 testing was offered in the Walmart
parking lot in Wilkesboro in May and June through a joint effort of
Walmart, the Wilkes Health Department and the state.
Staff Photo â Jule Hubbard
Graduation ceremonies for Wilkes high school seniors were
delayed and held by requiring that each student have a designated
time and date to be presented a diploma in his or her high school
gym, with only the presenters and immediate family members present.
Wilkes Early High School Principal Michelle Shepherd congratulates
one of her seniors.
Staff Photo â Jule Hubbard
On March 13, local leaders announced the declaration of a state
The second week with COVID-19 vaccinations is underway at the Wilkes County Health Department in Wilkesboro and at Wilkes Medical Center in North Wilkesboro.
Meanwhile, the health department reported the 69th and 70th COVID-19-related deaths of Wilkes residents on Monday. Both people were in their 80s and had underlying conditions.
Wilkes Health Department Director Rachel Willard said, âWhile we continue to see our hospitalizations and death toll rise, I am pleading in an effort to slow the spread. Iâm asking everyone over the coming weeks to truly limit interactions to those within your immediate household.. in the home stretch of the holiday season.â
Photo courtesy of Wilkes Sheriffâs Office
Recent Wilkes Sheriffâs Office investigations resulted in the
seizure of a large quantity of methamphetamine.
The Wilkes Sheriffâs Officeâs latest round of felony drug arrests reflects the increased prevalence of imported methamphetamine in Wilkes County, said Capt. Craig Dancy, who heads the agencyâs narcotics unit.
âEverything has gone to meth now,â said Dancy when he announced these latest cases Friday. Charges against all but four of 35 defendants in the latest round include meth offenses.
âAnd theyâre not making it here anymore because it canât competeâ with meth produced by drug cartels in Mexico, said Dancy. âWe havenât found a meth lab (in Wilkes) in two years.â