Mecklenburg County coronavirus cases near 1,000, with 15 deaths

Mecklenburg County’s coronavirus count neared 1,000 Monday as the county reported three more deaths from the outbreak, for a total of 15.

The county, which has become North Carolina’s epicenter of the virus, reported 975 cases as of Monday afternoon, up 24 from Sunday.

Mecklenburg County offered no details on the latest deaths, but Public Health Director Gibbie Harris and County Manager Dena Diorio will brief county commissioners at a Tuesday afternoon meeting.

North Carolina has more than 4,800 coronavirus cases as of Monday morning, an increase of 234 cases since Sunday. Ninety people have died, according to state and county health departments.

Also Monday, Union County reported the deaths of two hospitalized patients from complications associated with the new coronavirus, bringing its death total to three. The most recent victims were in their 80s and 90s with underlying medical conditions, the county said.

Catawba County reported one new case of COVID-19, bringing its total to 36. Neighboring Alexander County reported its third new case.

Nearly half of all people diagnosed recently in Mecklenburg County have recovered and were released from isolation, and experts say that rate of recovery is expected to grow long-term.

Data through last Thursday, released by the county, show that one in five of the 869 lab-confirmed cases were hospitalized for treatment.

Local first responders also found their work compounded by powerful storms left thousands without power in North Carolina Monday

Mecklenburg had nearly 40,000 power outages at mid-morning after powerful wind storms swept through the state, knocking out power to more than 286,000 people in North Carolina. More than 20,000 outages persisted in Mecklenburg by 5 p.m., the state Department of Public Safety reported. About 112,000 customers were still without power statewide at that time, officials said.

The outages come as tens of thousands of people in both Carolinas work at home under stay-at-home orders aimed at preventing the spread of the virus.

Nursing home, prison outbreaks

A Cabarrus County long-term care facility, Five Oaks Rehabilitation in Concord, has 67 of the county’s 174 confirmed cases as of Sunday.

The county health department, the Cabarrus Health Alliance, said the positive results were found after more than 300 residents and staff at the facility were tested late last week. More than half of the 28 new cases the county had reported Saturday, in its biggest one-day jump, came from the rehab center.

Franklin County officials reported Monday that two patients at a local nursing home had died of COVID-19. The Louisburg Nursing Center now has 47 positive confirmed coronavirus cases after testing all 61 patients and all staff at the nursing home, the county said.

Virus outbreaks, and deaths, have also been reported at nursing homes in Wake, Durham and Orange counties.

And the number of reported COVID-19 cases in North Carolina’s prisons has climbed by more than 80% since Thursday.

Statewide, 37 inmates have now tested positive for COVID-19 — up from 20 on Thursday, N.C. prison officials said Monday. Twenty one of those inmates were housed at Neuse Correctional Institution, in Eastern North Carolina.

CharMeck Responds Coalition

The CharMeck Responds Coalition, made up of 173 faith organizations, nonprofits, businesses and other community groups to help those in need during the outbreak, reported brisk activity by more than 1,500 volunteers.

Among their accomplishments:

• Foundation for The Carolinas and the United Way have collected more than $15 million in donations, with about $6 million to be distributed across the entire Charlotte-Mecklenburg area.
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has served 519,342 meals to children at 66 CMS distribution sites.
• YMCA of Greater Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation have cared for 160 children of first responders and hospital workers.
• Second Harvest has provided 8,600 weekend meal kits, and Elevation Outreach more than 680 hygiene kits.

Tighter store restrictions

New restrictions on retail stores, ordered last Thursday by Gov. Roy Cooper, went into effect at 5 p.m. Monday.

Under the order, stores have to limit the number of customers inside at five people per 1,000 square feet or 20% of fire marshal capacity limits. Stores also have to post six-foot distances near checkouts and do routine disinfections.

This story was originally published April 13, 2020 at 11:36 AM.