Coronavirus cases in Mecklenburg double to 32, with first reports of community spread
Mecklenburg County’s number of COVID-19 cases more than doubled overnight as North Carolina and the county reported instances of community spread.
The county reported 32 positive COVID-19 cases as of Thursday afternoon, compared with 14 reported Wednesday.
The state’s first announced case of community spread of the coronavirus was confirmed in a patient in Wilson County, Gov. Roy Cooper said Thursday.
“This is expected, but still an unfortunate benchmark in this pandemic,” Cooper said in a news conference.
Community spread happens when officials are not able to pinpoint the origin of an individual’s infection. Before, North Carolina’s COVID-19 cases had been travel related, or people exposed to a confirmed case.
But Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris had already told county commissioners Tuesday the Charlotte area has seen cases of community spread. She confirmed that to reporters Thursday, saying: “More than two.”
Harris said she couldn’t explain the contradiction between her Tuesday statement and the governor’s Thursday announcement.
North Carolina had at least 119 reported cases of COVID-19 as of Thursday, the (Raleigh) News & Observer reported.
At least one of the North Carolina cases was a Charlotte-area doctor.
OrthoCarolina announced Tuesday that a physician at the practice’s Hip & Knee Center in Mercy Hospital in Charlotte tested positive for COVID-19.
The coronavirus’ impact has started to spread across the region. Nearby Rowan County announced its first confirmed COVID-19 case Thursday. Rowan County health officials said they were notified late Wednesday of the case.
Union County reported its second case Thursday, in a middle-aged resident who had recently returned from international travel.
And Cabarrus County followed Mecklenburg and other counties in declaring a local state of emergency Thursday. Mecklenburg declared a state of emergency Sunday.
The first reported coronavirus case in Mecklenburg County was announced March 12.
County update
Harris said county residents with COVID-19 have experienced a range of symptoms, from mild to serious.
At least one county resident who was in isolation with COVID-19 has been able to leave isolation, she said Thursday.
A few residents have been hospitalized, but not in intensive care, she said.
County Manager Dena Dioro said the county opened seven locations to provide childcare for first responders and health care workers Thursday.
Diorio also said the county has finished a lease agreement for a hotel for homeless residents if needed.
Harris had previously told county commissioners Tuesday the county could soon be under a shelter-in-place order. “We may be moving in that direction more quickly than we like,” Harris said.
But Diorio told reporters Thursday the county has no plans to issue that order at this time.
“We are not in a shelter-in-place situation right now,” Diorio said. “We are not there yet.”
County commissioners Chairman George Dunlap told the Observer the county would not issue a shelter-in-place order without consulting the governor.
The county government itself is taking more precautions too – including taking reporters’ temperatures before the Thursday news conference.
New tuberculosis cases
Harris said the coronavirus outbreak is not the only infection spreading in Charlotte.
She identified two new tuberculosis cases in the county: one at Albemarle Road Middle School and one at Room at the Inn, the temporary winter shelter at local churches.
The person with tuberculosis stayed at Room at the Inn on Feb. 15 and Feb 26-27, Harris said.
Letters are being sent to people who may have been exposed to those cases.
Bans and closings
Cooper said Thursday people should be prepared for public schools to remain closed past the end of March, but didn’t say how long that could last.
“We’re going to be out of schools for awhile,” Cooper said in a Thursday press conference. “The order was until March 30th but I think people know that with community spread now coming and this crisis increasing that we will likely be out of school for a longer period of time.”
Harris banned gatherings of 50 or more people in Mecklenburg County on Monday, when the county had reported seven cases of the COVID-19 illness caused by the new coronavirus.
That ban doesn’t apply to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, churches, grocery stores, bus or light rail stops or shelters.
But Harris said the county has advised church leaders to consider modifying services to limit the spread of the outbreak.
Restaurants and bars remain closed in the state, except for takeout and delivery orders, after Cooper ordered them closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, an escalation in restrictions after Cooper declared a state of emergency last week.
Three major Charlotte-area shopping centers, SouthPark mall, Concord Mills and Charlotte Premium Outlets, said Wednesday they would voluntarily close through March 29, the Observer reported.
Testing for the illness continues to increase in Mecklenburg County. Charlotte’s Tryon Medical Partners opened a drive-through testing clinic on Tuesday, seeing nearly 50 patients in the first day.
Atrium Health and Novant Health are both operating testing clinics as well. The testing centers are limiting tests to patients with symptoms.
Mecklenburg County said it will continue limiting its COVID-19 tests to people “most at risk,” including people with symptoms and exposure to confirmed cases.
Relief fund
Several Charlotte-area entities have pledged millions for the COVID-19 Response Fund, which the Foundation for the Carolinas and United Way of Central Carolinas will oversee.
LendingTree, Truist, the Howard R. Levine Foundation and Charlotte City Council each have pledged to donate $1 million.
The Mecklenburg County commissioners approved giving $1.3 million to the fund.
On Thursday, the Foundation for the Carolinas and the United Way announced that Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and Charotte-based Bank of America had each donated $1 million, bringing the fund to $7.8 million.
Separately, the CMS Foundation, a nonprofit arm of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, announced a relief fund to help students and families during the outbreak.
And county manager Diorio said many community members have asked for opportunities to volunteer.
Organizations needing volunteers should call the county’s volunteer phone line at 704-432-4187. The county plans to set up a database of volunteer opportunities, she said.
“We are incredibly grateful to everybody in this community that wants to help,” Diorio said.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 10:55 AM.
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