Brunswick County Coronavirus Update (May 14, 2020)
KEY POINTS
- Free, anonymous mental health resources are available to residents and health care workers/first responders 24/7
- Phase 1 still includes a modified version of the Governor’s Stay at Home Order. Limiting your travel helps both our county and our neighboring counties prevent the further spread of the virus. Do not plan any day trips or vacations during Phase 1 (through May 22) in or out of Brunswick County (including South Carolina).
- Help protect and respect the health of our fellow neighbors: Follow the three Ws when you visit any public area: Wear a cloth face covering; Wait six feet apart to avoid close contact and maintain appropriate social distancing between yourself and others; Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
- As of May 14, there are 51 positive cases of COVID-19 among county residents (42 considered recovered) and 10 cases among non-residents (five considered recovered).
- See answers and information to several of our most frequently asked questions concerning COVID-19.
- See more information about COVID-19 testing and screening sites in Brunswick County
MEDIA RELEASE
BOLIVIA, N.C. – Brunswick County recognizes that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is an emotional and stressful time for many of our residents. Remember—it is always OK to reach out for help about these feelings.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and in recognition of this designation and the situation, Brunswick County reminds all residents about these free, confidential, and anonymous resources available to everyone.
Remember to always call 9-1-1 if it is a serious health or safety emergency.
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS RESOURCES
| Trillium Health Resources | 1-877-685-2415 (24-hour availability in English and Spanish) | Trillium Health Resources is a local governmental agency (LME/MCO) that manages mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services in 26 counties in eastern North Carolina, including Brunswick County. Learn more at https://www.trilliumhealthresources.org/ |
| Hope4NC Helpline | 1-855-587-3463 | Additional mental health and resilience supports that help NC residents cope and build resilience. |
| Hope4Healers Helpline | 919-226-2002 | New initiative in partnership with the NC Psychological Foundation. Provides mental health and resilience supports for health care professionals, emergency medical specialists, first responders, other staff who work in health care settings and their families. |
| Optum | 866-342-6892 | Toll-free 24-hour Emotional Support Help Line for people who may be experiencing anxiety or stress. |
| National Disaster Distress Helpline | 1-800-985-5990 | Crisis counseling and emotional support 24 hours a day. |
| Hopeline | 919-231-4525 or 1-877-235-4525 | Support available 24 hours a day. |
| NC Alcohol and Drug Council | 1-800-688-4232 or text 919-908-3196 | If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol or drug addiction, support is available 24 hours a day via the hotline. Learn more at www.alcoholdrughelp.org. |
| National Suicide Prevention Hotline | 1-800-273-TALK | Offers free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources and best practices for professionals. Learn more at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ |
| National Domestic Violence Hotline | 1-800-799-7233 | Visit NC’s Council for Women & Youth Involvement for a list of domestic violence and sexual assault service providers in your county. Individuals can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. Learn more at https://ncadmin.nc.gov/about-doa/divisions/council-for-women |
HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS FROM THE CDC AND NCDHHS TO HELP SUPPORT YOUR OVERALL HEALTH:
- Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting. It is important to get your information from accurate sources. Employees can find information and receive updates from the County on our website: https://www.brunswickcountync.gov
- Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep
- Make time to unwind. There are several virtual activities that allow you to connect with others. You can maintain connections without increasing your risk of getting the virus by talking on the phone, texting or chatting with people on social media platforms and apps.
- Seek additional resources. If you feel an overwhelming nervousness, a lingering sadness, or other prolonged reactions that adversely affect your job performance or interpersonal relationships, talk to someone you trust about how you are feeling. Trained and experienced mental health professionals are available via virtual means. For more information, click on the links below:
More information about the Governor’s Executive Order No. 138 concerning Phase 1 is available below.
- Read: Governor’s Executive Order No. 138 (Phase 1)
- FAQs on the Governor’s Executive Order No. 138
- See more on what’s new in Phase 1 (PDF)
- Information and guidance for businesses about Phase 1 (from NCDHHS)
COVID-19 FAQ OF THE DAY
DO I STILL NEED TO STAY AT LEAST SIX (6) FEET AWAY FROM PEOPLE IF I AM WEARING A CLOTH FACE COVERING?
- Wearing cloth face coverings is an additional public health measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. It is still recommended that you stay at least six (6) feet way from other people and frequently wash your hands or use hand sanitizer. A cloth face covering is not intended to protect the wearer, but it may prevent the spread of virus from the wearer to others. This is especially important if someone is infected but does not have symptoms.
SHOULD CHILDREN WEAR CLOTH FACE COVERINGS?
- Consider cloth face coverings for children over the age of 2 if it is determined they can reliably wear, remove, and handle cloth face coverings following CDC guidance throughout the day. Cloth face coverings should NOT be put on babies and children under the age of 2 because of danger of suffocation.
WHAT IF I AM A PERSON WITH HEARING LOSS AND AM CONCERNED ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO READ LIPS?
- Deaf and Hard of Hearing people often use lipreading to help understand what those around them are saying. Without being able to lipread, other communication techniques need to be used to help with communication. Some solutions to improve communication include: find a cloth face covering that has a clear plastic area that allows the lips to be visible (there are a number of options out there), increase your distance, write notes back and forth, write on a white board to communicate, use a free speech to text app on your mobile device and allow the person to read what you speak, gesture and if needed step several additional feet back from the person and remove your face cloth face covering just long enough to communicate.
See answers to other frequently asked questions about cloth face coverings on the NCDHHS website.
See more answers and information to several of our most frequently asked questions concerning COVID-19.
Answers to questions about the Governor’s Executive Order no. 138 (Phase 1) are on the NCDHHS website.
BRUNSWICK COUNTY TEST RESULTS
As of May 14, there are 51 positive cases of COVID-19, 30 pending test results and 1,911 confirmed negative test results, totaling 1,992 tests administered so far among Brunswick County residents. Of the 51 positive cases, 26 are male and 25 are female; 42 are considered recovered cases, seven are isolating at seven different homes (one home is not in Brunswick County), and two are deaths associated to COVID-19.
There are 10 cases involving non-residents who tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting Brunswick County, resulting in their contacts having to quarantine as well; these cases are not reflected in the County’s total case counts. Seven of these cases are male and three are female. Five of the non-resident cases are considered recovered, and the County has transferred monitoring for three cases to the individuals’ home counties; two are deaths associated to COVID-19.
The age ranges of the positive cases among Brunswick County residents as of today are as follows:
- 0-17 years old: 1
- 18-24 years old: 4
- 25-49 years old: 9
- 50-64 years old: 20
- 65+ years old: 17
The age ranges of the positive cases among non-residents as of today are as follows:
- 0-17 years old: Zero cases
- 18-24 years old: Zero cases
- 25-49 years old: 4
- 50-64 years old: 1
- 65+ years old: 5
To protect individual privacy, no further information will be released.
COVID-19 TEST REPORTS IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY AMONG COUNTY RESIDENTS
| Positive Test Results Reported to the County (County Residents) | 51 |
| Pending Test Sample Results at the State Laboratory or Private Laboratories (County Residents) | 30 |
| Confirmed Negative Test Results Reported to the County (County Residents) | 1,911 |
| Number of Test Samples Reported to the County (County Residents) | 1,992 |
| Positive Cases Isolating at Home (County Residents) | 7 |
| Positive Cases Isolating at a Hospital (County Residents) | 0 |
| Recoveries Among Positive Cases (County Residents) | 42 |
| Associated COVID-19 Deaths (County Residents) | 2 |
Statistics as of May 14, 2020 at 11 a.m.
COVID-19 TEST REPORTS IN BRUNSWICK COUNTY AMONG NON-RESIDENTS
| Positive Test Results (Non-Residents) | 10 |
| Positive Cases Isolating in the County (Non-Residents) | 0 |
| Positive Cases Isolating at a Hospital (Non-Residents) | 0 |
| Recoveries Among Positive Cases (Non-Residents) | 5 |
| Transferred Monitoring to Home County (Non-Residents) | 3 |
| Associated COVID-19 Deaths (Non-Residents) | 2 |
Statistics as of May 14, 2020 at 11 a.m.
Note: Brunswick County Health Services is encouraging providers in the County’s jurisdiction to continue to report persons under investigation (PUI) at this time, however NCDHHS no longer mandates that the PUI form be completed and sent to the local health departments, which could result in under reporting of test counts. These numbers reflected the information reported to the County from local health care providers.
Public Health monitors all individuals who test positive and any individuals in self-quarantine on a regular basis. The County will share statistics on the number of test samples and final reports Public Health is receiving in its update to allow for transparency and efficiency.
Brunswick County will provide updates on any positive cases considered a low risk for community spread unless a serious public health concern requires a separate release.
The NCDHHS has a case count webpage for North Carolina with information on the number of positive cases residing in zip codes. Brunswick County Health Services reminds individuals that zip codes only tell the location of where a positive case resides and does not mean that that is where the individual got the virus.
Most of the County’s resident and non-resident cases are related to travel to or from places outside of Brunswick County, however there is evidence of community spread of the virus in some of the resident cases. There are also a couple of instances where a positive case has transmitted the virus to another person outside of their household who was later tested and identified as a positive case.
Of the 51 identified cases, 42 are considered recovered cases, and seven are isolating at seven different homes, one of which is not located in Brunswick County. These isolating positive cases pose a low risk to the public as they and any household contacts are isolated or quarantined.
Everyone in needs to continue to take actions that best protect themselves from COVID-19 wherever they are and should assume that they can be exposed to the virus anywhere—hence the need to wear a face covering, wait six feet apart from other people, and wash their hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds and/or use hand sanitizer frequently.
Patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 are in isolation in their homes, which are located within the majority of zip codes throughout the county. Identified positive cases only represent a fraction of the actual positive cases as not everyone who is sick with COVID-19 are being tested in light of the CDC’s guidance that individuals with mild symptoms are typically able to recover at home without a test.
LOCAL AND STATE PUBLIC HEALTH CALL LINES
BRUNSWICK COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH CALL LINE
The County is operating a joint information center with a Public Health Call Line and email to answer residents’ coronavirus questions (available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). More information is also available on our website at https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/coronavirus
- Phone: 910.253.2339
- Email: coronavirus@brunswickcountync.gov
Individuals who have questions afterhours are encouraged to use the North Carolina 2-1-1 program or call the North Carolina Public Health Call Line, which has public health professionals available 24 hours a day every day to answer questions.
NC PUBLIC HEALTH CALL LINE (OPEN 24/7)
- 866.462.3821
NORTH CAROLINA 2-1-1 PROGRAM
- For COVID-19 questions, dial 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162
- Sign up for updates by texting COVIDNC to 898211
The COVID-19 situation is a stressful situation for many of us. There are several resources available should you need to speak with someone anonymously at this time:
- Trillium: 877.685.2415 (24-hour availability in English and Spanish)
- Disaster Distress Helpline: 800.985.5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 (24-hour availability in English and Spanish)
- Hope4NC Helpline: 1-855-587-3463 (available 24/7)
- Hope4Healers Helpline (for health care professionals, emergency medical specialists, first responders, other staff who work in health care settings and their families who are experiencing stress from being on the front lines of the state’s COVID-19 response): 919-226-2002 (available 24/7)
- More resources are available through the NC Department of Health & Human Services: COVID-19: Managing Your Overall Health
Find the latest information, case counts, contact information for community partners and food resources in Brunswick County on our Latest Information on Coronavirus webpage.