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Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital
As the Delta variant remains ubiquitous in Cherokee County, its deadly toll is becoming more apparent.
Over the course of eight days, 293 local residents tested positive for the coronavirus, with the Cherokee County Health Department confirming 14 deaths from Aug. 23-30. That bring the county’s COVID-19 death total to 55, with the victims ranging in age from their mid-50s to early 90s.
With about 20,000 adults living in the county, according to the U.S. Census, that means almost 1.5 percent of local residents tested positive for the coronavirus in the last week. By comparison, in August 2020, only three local residents died from COVID-19, with just 71 people testing positive all that month.
“That’s certainly eye-opening,” Cherokee County Health Director David Badger said. “People are definitely getting sick, and it’s a reminder that we have to take this virus and this variant of the virus seriously. That’s a reason to not only get vaccinated as soon as you can, but also take precautions, such as wearing a mask and other infection-control techniques.”
He called the deaths a lagging indicator of the virus’ impact.
“You’ve been seeing upticks in cases and upticks in hospitalizations for the better part of the month,” Badger said. “It take a few weeks for the back end of that to start rearing its ugly head.”
He recommended social distancing and staying home, emphasizing that the virus was everywhere at the moment.
“The reality is that no matter where you go, you need to be aware of those risk factors,” Badger said.
Booster shots
He said there had been some increase in demand for third doses among the county’s most vulnerable. The health department is offering the third “booster shot” dose to those with compromised immune systems.
“Until this week it’s been somewhat tepid, but we’re certainly seeing an uptick in the latter part of the week,” Badger added.
He said more people will become eligible by late September. Booster doses are recommended for the general public eight months after being fully vaccinated, though demand for first doses remained low.
“We give first doses every week, but there’s not been an appreciable uptick in it,” Badger said. “Certain days we’ll see more than others, but overall it’s not really moving at a rate that would be kind of fast enough in a short time period to really head off any kind of emergent threat of infection with COVID.”
He also warned against taking the livestock dewormer Ivermectin for COVID-19.
“I know it’s been all the rage on social media, but I know if folks looked seriously into it, they would figure out that there’s a lot of misleading information there,” Badger said.
School concerns
Cherokee County Schools, which does not require masks, is also seeing the impact of the Delta variant. As of Friday, the district reported 363 total students in quarantine and 54 who were positive for the coronavirus; only 13 staff members tested positive, while 20 were in quarantine.
The Oaks Academy has faced the most challenges from COVID-19, with 37.3 percent of students affected. Contrast that with Hiwassee Dam Elementary/Middle School, which only has 2.7 percent of students affected. The district overall has been affected by 12.2 percent.
The Cherokee County Board of Education voted on a mask mandate in August, but the motion filed by a 5-2 margin. However, board members said they would revisit the issue at the board’s regular meeting Thursday, Sept. 9.
“We won’t rule out a special called meeting if need be,” Superintendent Jeana Conley said.
Hospital reports
Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital in Peachtree has implemented a no visitor policy for in-patient and emergency department due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in the region, according to a release. However, there will be exceptions made for end-of-life and patients who need a caregiver.
Exceptions will be approved by emergency department management, the release says. Minors under age 18 may have up to three visitors (parent or guardian) with an option for overnight stay, but only two allowed at the bedside at one time.
Just across the state line in Blairsville, Ga., Union General Hospital reported that of 64 total inpatients Thursday, 46 were for COVID-19. Of those 46, 43 were unvaccinated. The facility’s ICU is running at 160 percent capacity, with three more patients than beds.