These are the 10 Triangle ZIP codes with the highest rates of coronavirus cases
A ZIP code in Chatham County has the 2nd-highest per capita rate of COVID-19 reported cases in North Carolina.
A News & Observer analysis of the state’s recorded coronavirus cases by ZIP code shows that 27344 in Siler City has 146.71 cases per 10,000 people. Only the 27509 ZIP code in Butner, where a COVID-19 outbreak has occurred at the federal prison complex there, has a higher rate with 162.94 cases per 10,000 people.
Siler City is home to the Mountaire Farms poultry plant, where an undisclosed number of COVID-19 cases have been reported among employees. Chatham County, citing privacy of plant workers, isn’t releasing details on the number of positive cases at the meat processing plant. Mountaire Farms is also one of the largest employers in Siler City.
Kara Dudley, a Chatham County spokeswoman, did however, caution against reading too much into the ZIP code data.
“Confirmed cases are dependent upon testing, which will reflect current testing criteria and priorities, as well as mass testing events like the (high ZIP code rate for Siler City) you mentioned,” Dudley said in an email to The News & Observer Friday. “So confirmed case counts by ZIP code should be viewed with that caveat.”
Catherine Bassett, a spokeswoman for Mountaire Farms, said the company has taken proactive steps such as placing plexiglass barriers between employees inside the plant and mandatory use of face masks and face shields. She said they’re also doing temperature checks of employees and increasing deep cleanings inside the plant that employs 1,800.
Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said at a news conference Friday that DHHS is working on how to get accurate, complete numbers to the public about cases at food-processing plants.
Another common trait among the hard-hit ZIP codes is nursing homes where coronavirus outbreaks have been reported.
10 Triangle ZIP codes with most coronavirus cases
The state began releasing the number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases by ZIP code on May 1. The totals are available on the DHHS website.
Here are the top ZIP codes in the Triangle for coronavirus cases:
▪ No. 1: 27344 ZIP code In Siler City at 146.71 cases per 10,000 people. It includes Montaire Farms poultry plant.
▪ No. 2: 27705 ZIP code in Durham at 53.25 cases per 10,000. That ZIP code includes the Durham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, which has had 111 reported cases and 14 deaths, and PruittHealth-Carolina Point with 111 reported cases and 20 deaths.
▪ No. 3: 27312 ZIP code in Pittsboro at 39.63 cases per 10,000. It includes the Laurels of Chatham (106 cases, nine deaths).
▪ No. 4: 27610 ZIP code in Raleigh at 29.65 cases per 10,000. The area has both the Sunnybrook Rehabilitation Center (33 cases, two deaths) and the N.C Correctional Institute for Women. Prisons are also among the congregate living settings which have seen COVID-19 outbreaks.
▪ No. 5: 27712 ZIP code in Durham at 29.02 cases per 10,000. Treyburn Rehabilitation and Nursing (75 cases, 12 deaths) is included in the area.
▪ No 6: 27704 zip code in Durham at 26.67 cases per 10,000.
▪ No. 7: 27545 ZIP code in Knightdale at 24,73 cases per 10,000. The area includes Wellington Rehabilitation and Healthcare (57 cases, 11 deaths).
▪ No. 8: 27514 ZIP code in Chapel Hill at 18.88 cases per 10,000. It has Signature Healthcare (56 cases, 13 deaths).
▪ No: 9: 27707 ZIP code in Durham at 18.71 cases per 10,000.
▪ No. 10: 27520 ZIP code in Clayton at 17.97 cases per 10,000. It includes Johnston County’s Springbrook Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (79 cases, 14 deaths).
This story was originally published May 8, 2020 at 6:31 PM.
