Mecklenburg County identifies 3 new COVID-19 cases over weekend
North Carolina health officials confirmed on Sunday morning two new cases of COVID-19 in Mecklenburg County, bringing the county’s total to four.
Details about the two new cases were not immediately available. In the 10:30 a.m. Sunday update, state officials reported North Carolina’s total number of cases reached 32.
The weekend news capped a week of turmoil and disruption from concerns over the spread of the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
In Mecklenburg County’s second case — reported Saturday — the person recently traveled from the United Kingdom. Health officials said that person is self-isolating at home. The person’s family members are quarantined, officials said.
The case was the second of a Mecklenburg County resident testing positive for the virus. Another person was tested at a local facility but lives in Cabarrus County, officials said previously.
“I would emphasize that at this point in time we do not have any evidence that community spread is occurring here,” Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris said in a statement Saturday.
Also Saturday, Gov. Roy Cooper banned gatherings of more than 100 people and ordered schools closed Monday for at least two weeks.
North Carolina’s first case was announced March 3 as a Wake County man who was exposed at a long-term care facility in Kirkland, Washington, the site of an outbreak.
All but one of the cases are termed “presumptive positive.” That means the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will run second tests to confirm the results, The News & Observer reported.
Also on Saturday, Craven County’s Public Health Department announced that a man who had returned from traveling internationally had tested positive. Officials said he’s isolated at home.
No ‘community transmission’
State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Tilson emphasized during a press briefing Friday afternoon that none of the cases in North Carolina to that point had been the result of “community transmission,” in which someone becomes infected without traveling or coming into contact with someone known to have the virus. Tilson said all cases in the state are travel-related or the result of known-contact exposure.
As of Friday, 1,629 cases of coronavirus have been reported in the U.S. and 41 deaths from the disease, according to the CDC.
Trump declares national emergency
President Donald Trump on Friday declared a national emergency around the coronavirus pandemic, opening the door for the federal government to offer some funding help for state and local governments working to stem the spread of illness. Trump said the declaration would free up as much as $50 billion, according to the Associated Press.
Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency in North Carolina earlier in the week, making the state eligible for federal emergency funding. Cooper and state health officials also urged people not to congregate in groups of 100 or more, resulting in widespread cancellation of events across the state.
Pandemic changes daily life
The pandemic has dramatically changed daily life, triggering a cascade of precautionary closures affecting the region’s travel, employers and major institutions.
American Airlines, the dominant carrier at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, said it would cut flights due to reduced demand. The airline planned to cut its domestic flights by 7.5% in April compared to the current schedule, and decrease its international flights by 10% for the summer peak.
Charlotte is not one of the airports approved to receive U.S. citizens returning from more than two dozen European countries included in the president’s travel restrictions.
CMS extends spring break
The virus also upended school and work schedules for thousands of Mecklenburg families.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board voted Friday night to change the school calendar to start spring break March 23, making next Thursday and Friday teacher work days. Originally, CMS’s spring break was scheduled for April 13-17. The change was made to help slow the spread of the virus, officials said.
As of Saturday afternoon, classes were scheduled to continue to be held next week through Wednesday. But that afternoon, Cooper ordered the state’s schools closed Monday for at least two weeks.
Iredell-Statesville Schools and the Mooresville Graded School District, both of which just completed a week of spring break, are extending the break for all students through Friday. Iredell-Statesville officials said they made the move “out of an abundance of caution” because many students may have traveled during the break.
Employers react to new coronavirus
Major employers, including Wells Fargo, have directed some employees to work from home.
And 19 of Charlotte’s largest public companies lost $267 billion of market value in the stock market selloff caused by the coronavirus, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Many companies have implemented changes because of the virus.
Harris-Teeter, for instance, on Saturday announced earlier nightly closing times so employees can further sanitize their stores, following a similar announcement by Publix on Friday night.
Canceled events
Community events continue to be postponed. Elevation and many other churches in the Charlotte area switched to online worship services only.
Mecklenburg County announced Friday night it is canceling county-run events at which 100 or more people were expected to attend. Beginning Monday, senior centers will be closed.
“We realize that these services are important, but we also know that those served in these programs are the most at risk for serious complications,” County Manager Dena Diorio said in a statement. “Safety is our number one concern.”
This story was originally published March 14, 2020 at 12:19 PM.
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