North Carolina added 101 confirmed cases of coronavirus presumed positive tests to its official totals Tuesday, bringing the overall total of cases to 398, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
COVID-19 NC newsThere are still no deaths in North Carolina tied to coronavirus, DHHS reported.
The confirmed cases come as the result of more than 8,500 tests for the virus, according to DHHS.
Jackson, Transylvania, Stanly and Montgomery counties joined the list of those with confirmed cases. But Richmond was removed from the list when its only case was reassigned to Montgomery County based on the patient’s permanent residence, Richmond County health officials said in a statement on their website.
This brings the total number of N.C. counties with confirmed cases to 48 out of the state’s 100. In the western mountains and eastern coastal regions only a few counties have confirmed cases, but most counties in the central Piedmont do have cases.
Counties with confirmed cases, from west to east, are Cherokee, Jackson, Transylvania, Buncombe, Henderson, Watauga, Lincoln, Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Union, Cabarrus, Davie, Rowan, Davidson, Stanly, Forsyth, Guilford, Montgomery, Randolph, Moore, Scotland, Chatham, Alamance, Hoke, Lee, Orange, Harnett, Durham, Robeson, Cumberland, Wake, Granville, Vance, Franklin, Brunswick, Johnston, Sampson, Wayne, Nash, Wilson, New Hanover, Onslow, Pitt, Craven, Carteret and Pasquotank.
Carolina Public Press reported Monday afternoon that Gov. Roy Cooper has extended public school closings to May 15. He also ordered closure of a number of additional businesses, including salons and theaters. However, the governor has not embraced a “shelter-in-place” order at this time. A group of hospitals has called on the governor to take this stricter stance. Some counties, including Madison, have announced plans to impose their own shelter-in-place.
CPP also reported Tuesday morning that the federal government has given North Carolina schools a waiver on federally required end-of-year testing this year.
With confirmed cases spreading more into the state’s western mountain counties this week, CPP reported Tuesday morning on additional steps being taken in many of these counties by public health officials, hospitals and county government, including in Graham County, which is closing it’s borders.
HCA, which last year acquired Mission Health, the largest hospital company in Western North Carolina, faces a union organizing effort from nurses at its Asheville facilities. CPP reported Tuesday morning that both sides are citing the coronavirus outbreak in their filings with the National Labor Relations Board. HCA wants to slow the pace of hearings due to the crisis. But in a sworn statement, nurses say Mission has been forcing them to attend anti-union meetings during their work shifts, despite the crisis.