All in Coronavirus
Three more cases of COVID-19 – cases 12, 13 and 14 – have been confirmed in Lenoir County. The Lenoir County Health Department received notification of the lab-confirmed cases on Wednesday, April 8. The Health Department is conducting further contact tracing investigations on the 13th and 14th cases.
So what do you say— do you tell people “Happy Holy Week?’”
“You could say 'Happy Easter,’ when it’s actually Easter day, or ‘Christ is Risen!’. Normally there are so many activities during the week before Easter. This year is different but should be no less activity in our hearts.
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Governor Cooper stated, “Overnight, test results revealed a hotspot of transmission in Orange County. A series of tests for COVID-19 has revealed at least 60 positive results in a skilled nursing facility in Orange County with more likely to come. Of those, seven are hospitalized and two have died. These are shockingly large numbers, and I wanted to share information about what the state is doing to control and combat outbreaks at long-term care facilities to protect the residents and staff.”
Well, the Coronavirus is still with us, but there are hopeful signs that we may soon be turning the corner on the road to recovery. I like the way President Trump put it when he said it is not a question of MAY, it is a question of MUST. It is a bout perspective.
One additional case of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed positive in Jones County, for a total of three positive cases. The third individual, who is hospitalized at this time, was tested on Monday, April 6. Confirmation of this individual’s test results was forwarded to the Health Department on Wednesday, April 8. Jones County numbers: 40 Total Tests, 32 Negative Tests, 3 Positive Tests and 5 Pending Tests.
As of 11:00 a.m., April 8, 2020, NCDHHS has reported 3,426 confirmed cases and 53 deaths. Lenoir County has 11 confirmed cases. Greene County has 10 confirmed cases. Jones County has 2 confirmed cases. This post has data going back to March 20, 2020, which showed NC at 137 cases and 0 deaths.
On Monday, April 6, Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03) joined a bipartisan and bicameral group of federal lawmakers in sending a letter urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to include funding for broadband internet in any further legislative response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lenoir County Public Schools personnel have volunteered to forego time off to help the district continue to distribute no-cost lunches and breakfasts during its scheduled Easter break, which begins on Friday. LCPS Child Nutrition Director Danelle Smith and Assistant Superintendent Nicholas Harvey II, whose responsibilities include oversight of student services, announced the feeding program would continue without change or interruption on Friday, a state holiday, and during the week of April 13.
Lenoir County Health Department Director Pamela Brown and Jones County Health Department Preparedness Coordinator Diana Craft joined us for another Coronavirus Chat. We discussed all the latest developments in their counties and took questions from our live audience.
Two more cases of COVID-19 – the 10th and 11th – have been confirmed in Lenoir County. The Lenoir County Health Department received notification of the lab-confirmed cases on Tuesday, April 7 and continues to monitor more than 140 individuals and households across the county.
Executive Order No. 129 streamlines the hiring to frontline pipeline for law enforcement jobs. Governor Roy Cooper issued the order to create more flexibility in law enforcement training schedules during the state of emergency so that people training for new positions can pause their training and resume at a later date.
Governor Cooper is not ready to commit to a stay-at-home order for the month of May. He also shared in a Tuesday afternoon press conference that 400,000 people have applied for unemployment benefits with 110,000 recipients so far at a cost of $26 million. He also highlighted how some retail stores are restricting the number of customers in a store based on square footage, including having a staff member stand at the door. He hinted at a soon-coming Executive Order to place restrictions on retail locations across the state.
NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen announced the creation of an Emergency Child Care Subsidy Program to support essential workers. “Through this new program – essential workers can get help finding childcare and get help paying for that child care.”
Over 300,000 North Carolinians filed for unemployment benefits in the last two weeks of March with COVID-19 as the primary reason. According to the Tax Foundation, for the period covering March 14 to March 21, North Carolina experienced a greater than 2,500% surge in unemployment claims.
Trenton, NC – The first positive cases of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) have been confirmed in Jones County. Two (2) individuals who were in direct contact with each other were tested for COVID-19 on Sunday, April 5. Confirmation of positive COVID-19 test results was forwarded to Jones County Health Department on Tuesday, April 7. The individuals are hospitalized at this time.
The State of NC reported 13 additional deaths in the last 24 hours due to Covid-19 and has 10 counties with zero positive cases. As of 10:15 a.m., April 7, 2020, NCDHHS has reported 3,221 confirmed cases and 46 deaths. Lenoir County has 10 confirmed cases. Greene County has 10 confirmed cases. Jones County has 0 confirmed cases. This post has data going back to March 20, 2020, which showed NC at 137 cases and 0 deaths.
In a conference call meeting of the North Carolina Council of State, Governor Roy Cooper ended the call by giving the latest statistics to be released by NCDHHS. As of this morning, NC has 3,221 positive cases of Covid-19 in 90 counties and 46 deaths. Governor Cooper stated, “Unfortunately we have lost 46 people to this very cruel disease that also makes it so people die alone or to get well alone without the family being around. It makes it particularly tough on everyone.”
Many are paying heaps of lip-service to the unselfish and heroic behavior of those who are serving during the current health care crisis and its uncertainty. I cannot help but wonder how many of us truly understand the sacrificial nature of the work doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, and first responders are doing: the long hours, the constant vigilance, the unending possibility of exposure to themselves and their families.
Two additional cases of COVID-19/Coronavirus reported in Lenoir County over the weekend; the county now has nine cases. A total of 143 individuals are being monitored in Lenoir County.
Greene County has 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2020. Out of the 10 lab-confirmed positive cases, three of those individuals have recovered, are doing well, and are out of isolation.
A collection of North Carolina experts today released a composite modeling forecast looking at how COVID-19 could affect North Carolina in the coming months. The models, constructed by experts from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, RTI International, and others reinforced the need for limiting personal contact to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure that health care is there for people who need it.
