Construction sites are ‘high-risk’ settings for coronavirus infection, NC official says

Latino residents are becoming infected with coronavirus at high rates in some Triangle counties, and work at construction sites is responsible for some of the viral spread.

During a webinar on coronavirus testing Monday night, Dr. Betsey Tilson, the state health director at the Department of Health and Human Services called construction sites “high-risk” settings when asked whether a hypothetical construction worker should get a coronavirus test.

“We’re seeing more and more clusters in construction,” she said.

The state’s coronavirus cases are rising, and the state has flagged nine counties, including Wake, Durham and Johnston, for their increases. Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference Monday that he talked to Vice President Mike Pence over the weekend about increasing testing in those nine counties.

The state does not publicly report locations of construction sites with outbreaks. Only congregate living facilities, daycare centers and schools are required to report coronavirus outbreaks, according to DHHS.

In Wake, Durham, and Johnston, however, Hispanic residents are bearing a coronavirus burden out of proportion with their population.

In Durham, Latinos represent nearly 61% of confirmed cases, according to the Durham County Public Health Department, but are about 14% of the population, according to the 2019 census. According to county information from June 9, the greatest number of cases found in June were among people who worked in construction, in nursing homes, or were unemployed. Eighty-nine percent of the cases associated with construction work sites were among Hispanic residents.

In Wake County, Latinx residents are 10% of the population but represent 42% of its coronavirus cases, according to the county.

In Johnston County, Latinx residents are 14% of the population but represent about half the coronavirus cases, according to the county.

Statewide, 44% of coronavirus cases are among Hispanics, according to DHHS.

African Americans represent about 26% of the state’s confirmed coronavirus cases, while making up 22% of the state’s population.

“The proportion of cases that are of Hispanic ethnicity have taken a sharp increase recently, Dr. Zack Moore, chief of the DHHS Epidemiology Section, said during the webinar on testing. “We want to make sure we’re getting to this population.

DHHS has websites that advise people on testing and help them find testing sites, including temporary sites.

Patients should not be changed for tests, medical providers were told Monday.

Under federal law, testing is at no charge for people who use government insurance such as Medicare and Medicaid and for most people who have private insurance.

This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 8:22 PM with the headline "Construction sites are ‘high-risk’ settings for coronavirus infection, NC official says."