NC coronavirus cases top 4,800, new rules begin and governor warns against ‘complacency’
The number of coronavirus case and deaths in North Carolina rose again Monday, as new statewide restrictions on nursing homes, grocery stores and other retailers began and the governor warned against “complacency.”
The number of cases is accelerating, but at a “much slower pace” because people are following the social distancing rules and stay-at-home restrictions set by the state, Gov. Roy Cooper said at a press conference Monday afternoon.
“What we’re doing is working,” Cooper said. “We’re saving lives. Our biggest enemy is complacency.”
Cooper said the better that people follow the rules in April, the more likely the state will be able to ease restrictions. But, the “wholesale lifting” of those orders would be a “catastrophe,” he said.
The state had 4,816 cases and 86 deaths as of Monday morning, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. That’s an increase of 296 cases and five deaths from Sunday, which itself saw an increase of 208 cases and 1 death from Saturday, the N&O reported.
There are 313 people hospitalized due to COVID-19, down from 331 on Sunday, DHHS reported. The state said 92 of the state’s 100 counties had positive tests.
The News & Observer is also keeping a separate count of cases and deaths, based on reporting directly from county health agencies, which tends to be higher because the state takes longer to confirm cases.
According to data compiled by the N&O, as of Monday afternoon there were 4,884 cases and 107 deaths.
Alamance County announced Monday its current COVID-19 case count is 39, which is lower than what the state health department reports. Some of the tests LabCorp has conducted were incorrectly assigned to Alamance County, which led to the discrepancy. The location of the other 29 cases is unclear, so the N&O has reduced its overall tally.
Nursing home outbreaks could worsen
Two deaths at a nursing home in Franklin County were announced Monday. The patients died from COVID-19 on Sunday at Louisburg Nursing Center, which has 47 positive confirmed coronavirus cases, including residents and staff members.
Several other nursing homes, including around the Triangle, are seeing outbreaks among residents and employees.
In Wake County, Wellington Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Knightdale went from reporting four cases to 47 cases in a matter of three days. More than 100 people have been infected at two Orange County nursing home facilities and four have died, the N&O previously reported. Three nursing homes in Durham County also have coronavirus outbreaks.
Starting Monday evening, skilled nursing facilities across the state were required to follow new rules set by Cooper. The statewide order prevents residents from gathering in common spaces and participating in group activities, which many facilities were already doing. Under the order, employees must wear face masks and are screened for signs of sickness before coming into work. In Orange County, employees are not allowed to work at more than one facility during the pandemic.
Lauren Zingraff, executive director of Friends of Residents in Long-term Care, said those screenings and personal protective equipment like face masks, gowns and gloves are critical for keeping staff and residents at nursing homes safe.
“We can quarantine in our homes, our apartments and literally not have contact with other people,” Zingraff said. “[The residents] don’t have the privilege of being able to self-isolate the way others of us can.”
Elderly residents and those who require medical care need to interact with staff throughout the day or they won’t get their meals, medication or daily hygiene, she said.
“COVID-19 will not be under control in our long-term care facilities if the PPE is not made available,” Zingraff said. “I don’t have any doubt that staff there will use it in the way it should be used and protect themselves and the residents, but they have to have it.”
Zingraff said facilities have been restricting visitation, limiting contact among residents in dining and community areas and working to get or make face masks for weeks. But there’s a shortage of that personal protective equipment and no one was prepared for needing this much of it for an extended period of time while fighting a pandemic, she said.
North Carolina nursing homes could “very easily” see the spikes in cases and high number of deaths among the elderly and staff like in Washington state if PPE is not provided, Zingraff said.
Releasing prisoners early to reduce outbreaks
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety also announced Monday that 500 prisoners are being considered for early release under community supervision amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Twenty employees and 37 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at several different facilities across the state, DPS announced Monday.
Officials say that the new effort is meant to help reduce the prison population slightly and limit the spread of the virus in state prisons and juvenile detention facilities.
Those prisoners under review are not serving time for committing a violent crime against another person and have a projected release date in 2020, Public Safety Secretary Erik Hooks said at Monday’s press conference.
Hooks said the priority is older adults and those with underlying health conditions, as well as those on home leave or on work release. More than a dozen pregnant women have already been released.
The individuals will continue to be supervised when they’re let out, likely with electronic monitoring equipment, according to state officials.
“If they fail to carry out the program successfully, they will be returned to the facilities,” Hooks said.
Retail and grocery stores limit customers
Starting at 5 p.m. Monday, retail stores that are still open must limit the number of customers to no more than 20% of their maximum capacity at any given time.
As the number of people allowed inside stores at one time is reduced, fewer people will be browsing the aisles, but shoppers could be forced to wait in long lines outside the store.
The order also includes new rules requiring stores to clean more frequently and enforce six-foot social distancing at checkout or in other lines. And it has other health and safety recommendations that are suggested but not mandatory.
To enforce the mandatory parts of the order, the state has the option to issue a punishment of a class 2 misdemeanor criminal charge. And if someone visits or works at a store that isn’t following the rules they can report it to their local law enforcement agency.
Meanwhile, a group called ReopenNC is demanding that Gov. Cooper remove the restrictions on businesses and says Cooper’s executive orders in response to the coronavirus are unconstitutional.
State officials insist the restrictions are necessary to prevent the continued spread of the virus that’s caused nearly 100 deaths in North Carolina.
At Monday’s news conference, Cooper said simply: “We are staying home to save lives.”
COVID-19 Helpline
If you think you may have the coronavirus, call your physician or the COVID-19 Helpline at 1-866-462-3821.
Staff writers Steve Wiseman and Brooke Cain and Charlotte Observer reporter Ames Alexander contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 13, 2020 at 11:36 AM.
