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COVID-19 cases as of April 20.
Cherokee County’s total confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to grow as more residents’ tests return positive.
This morning, the Cherokee County Health Department announced the county’s first case in a long-term care facility.
Out of the 20 total cases since March 18, two were non-residents, one has died, and 11 have recovered.
The health department is testing all residents and staff at Valley View Care and Rehabilitation Center in Andrews after a resident’s test for COVID-19 returned positive. The individual possibly was infected while receiving care outside the facility. The facility started prohibiting visitors on March 12.
This afternoon, the health department announced a Cherokee County resident who went to an emergency department in Georgia tested positive there. The person is isolated in a hospital in Georgia, and the health department is working to determine where the individual was exposed to the illness.
Thursday morning, the health department announced a resident was exposed to the virus while on work-related travel in New Jersey has tested positive. The health department said the individual has remained isolated in their home since returning to Cherokee County.
On Wednesday morning, the health department announced a person was tested after going to a local emergency room for a respiratory-type illness. The person has been isolated since being tested, and is currently isolated in their home, the health department said. This individual had no known contact with anyone infected with the virus.
The health department announced on April 12 that community spread is occuring in the county.
Locals are reminded to continue practicing measures to prevent spreading the virus, like washing hands, coughing or sneezing into the elbow, staying home if sick, and social distancing. In instances where social distancing is difficult, the Centers for Disease Control recommends wearing a cloth face covering. Close contact is defined as being within six feet of another person for 10 minutes or more. The health department also advises that people continue to follow the state’s Stay At Home order.
As of Monday, North Carolina had 6,764 positive cases of COVID-19 and 179 deaths since the beginning of March. The state is not reporting recoveries, and does not take recoveries away from its total number of cases as it does with deaths.