Coronavirus update in Mecklenburg: 810 cases, total is only ‘a snapshot,’ health officials say
A total of 810 cases of the coronavirus were reported in Mecklenburg County as of late Tuesday but local health officials say it’s likely only “a snapshot of the true burden of COVID-19 in our community.” County officials also said an eighth person locally died from the novel coronavirus.
Tuesday saw 69 new cases announced. On Monday, there were a total 741 cases, up 11% from the day before. In the last week, the number of total cases in Mecklenburg has nearly doubled — a trend reflected in statewide coronavirus data.
Late Tuesday, North Carolina health officials said there were more than 3,220 reported cases and at least 46 deaths statewide. At least 354 people were hospitalized as of late Tuesday, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
“Many individuals infected by COVID-19 have not been tested because they are asymptomatic or do not meet current CDC recommendations for testing,” Mecklenburg County officials said in a news release. “As such, these results are very fluid and only represent a snapshot of the true burden of COVID-19 in our community.”
In Mecklenburg County, 805 residents have tested positive for COVID-19. Another five people included in the state’s tally are people who tested positive or are being treated in hospitals in Mecklenburg but live elsewhere.
The people who have died locally range in ages from 60 to 93, according to Mecklenburg health officials. The health department told the Observer Tuesday officials would not be releasing information about the deceased individual’s race, sex or zip code, citing privacy concerns. According to the health department, all eight people who have died locally have had “underlying health conditions” before contracting COVID-19.
North Carolina is currently under a stay-at-home order that lasts through April 30, though a group of scientists has said that if the order is not extended, hospital beds may run out.
A model by an “informal” group of North Carolina epidemiologists and data scientists estimates that around 750,000 people in the state could be infected if social distancing policies are not extended throughout May.
The model predicts that if the order lifts after April, there is a “50% probability that hospital acute and ICU bed capacity will be outstripped,” one scientist said.
As the total number of cases rise locally, the virus has reached Amazon workers, first responders, jail workers, and city employees, the Observer has reported. According to a company spokesperson, two workers tested positive — one at a Concord sorting facility and another at a Charlotte fulfillment facility.
Cooper on stay-at-home order
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday discouraged people from gathering for Easter and Passover and said more stores should use plexiglass barriers and mark floors with tape to help people distance themselves from one another.
According to The Raleigh News and Observer, Cooper said the current stay-at-home order is working though he does not know when it will be lifted.
Cooper said he is planning for new executive orders this week, which may limit the number of people who can be in a store at once.
Protections for sanitation workers
After the union that represents city sanitation workers said Charlotte was not doing enough to protect its 200-plus workers, Mayor Vi Lyles announced steps to allow workers to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
On Monday, a statement issued by the Charlotte city workers union said Solid Waste Management workers “were told to report to work, all entering the same building, in violation of social distancing recommendations from public health officials.”
The mayor said that sanitation workers will now report in 15-minute intervals to reduce the number of people in the building. Workers who leave their trucks to collect yard waste and bulk items will now work one week and have the next off with pay, the mayor also said.
This story was originally published April 7, 2020 at 10:48 AM.
