April 7, 2020
The McDowell County Health Department has been notified by Mission Hospital that three additional McDowell County residents have tested positive for novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The individuals are currently hospitalized and in isolation.
The initial investigation links these positive cases to community spread transmission. Community spread transmission is defined as not having contact with any confirmed positives or not being linked with travel to a known risk area.
Public health staff have already initiated an investigation and will be identifying close contacts to contain the spread of disease. To protect individual privacy, no further information about the case will be released.
This brings the total number of positives to 13 in McDowell County. There have been 161 people tested and 115 negative results. Thirty-three tests are pending results.
The McDowell County Health Department and McDowell County Emergency Management will keep the public informed by announcing any additional cases that may arise through our local media partners.
It is important for the community to understand that the identification of additional cases does not change our local strategies for preventing and reducing the spread of disease.
“It is my strongest recommendation that you adhere to the stay at home order issued by McDowell County and Governor Cooper,” stated Public Health Director Karen Powell. “ Do not leave your home unless it is essential. If you must leave your home, practice extreme social distancing. It is critical that you practice good hygiene by washing your hands as often as possible, do not touch your face and be extremely cautious with all public surfaces. Assume every time you leave your home or workplace that you are being exposed to the COVID 19 virus, it can and will infect anyone. These are unprecedented times in our community, please be vigilant and treat it as serious as life and death. We will get through this together, together as a community.”
Above all else, please isolate yourself at home if you are sick, Powell added. Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
The Health Department is continuing to test qualified individuals for COVID-19. If an individual believes they have been exposed to the virus or if they are experiencing a fever, they can call the hotline at (828) 527- 6687. The operator will ask a list of screening questions and will provide the caller with the appropriate medical instructions based upon the answers given. The hours of operation for this hotline are 8AM – 8PM, 7 days per week. If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 and inform the dispatcher that you have symptoms of COVID-19.
Citizens can utilize an online COVID-19 screening tool by going to mcdowell.clearstep.health and completing the assessment.
