Brunswick County Coronavirus Update (May 15, 2020)

By City of Northwest | May 15, 2020

Key Points

  • Health Services identified two additional individuals who received a positive test result for the novel coronavirus Friday
  • As of May 15, there are 53 positive cases of COVID-19 among county residents (43 considered recovered, 7 isolating at home, 1 isolating at a hospital, 2 deaths) and 10 cases among non-residents (5 considered recovered, 3 transferred monitoring to home county, 2 deaths).
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • Free, anonymous mental health resources are available to residents and health care workers/first responders 24/7
  • 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 Health Services identified two additional cases of individuals who tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Friday, bringing the total count of residents with a positive test result to 53; of these individuals, 43 are considered recovered, seven are isolating at six different homes (one is not in Brunswick County), one is isolating at a hospital, and two are deaths associated to COVID-19.

These cases are isolating in the same household. Neither has any identified close contacts who need to quarantine. Contact tracing is completed.

To protect individual privacy, no further information will be released.

During an update on North Carolina’s key COVID-19 indicators Thursday, Governor Roy Cooper and NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen shared COVID-19-related data and trends that show the state remains stable nearly one week into Phase 1. However, they still emphasized the need to stay home when you can and take precautions as the state continues to monitor these areas as the current Phase 1 expiration date of Friday, May 22 approaches.

Some of those precautions include following the three Ws when visiting any public area. These efforts work best when they are all practiced together by as many people as possible:

  • Wear a cloth face covering when in public (Make sure both your nose and mouth are fully covered and you are able to breathe normally while wearing it.)
  • 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 while also following other best hygiene practices

Because Phase 1 still includes a modified Stay at Home Order, North Carolinians should still limit nonessential travel as much as possible during Phase 1. This includes not planning any day trips or vacations through May 22 in or out of Brunswick County (including South Carolina). Limiting your travel helps both our county and our neighboring counties prevent the further spread of the virus.

You are also discouraged from inviting guests to travel to your home to visit during Phase 1 as travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19. Do not travel if you are sick or travel with someone who is sick. If someone traveling tests positive for COVID-19, any close contacts who were traveling with them or those who were hosting them will have to quarantine as well. Individuals who have to quarantine with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 are at a higher risk for contracting the virus themselves.

Secretary Cohen reported North Carolina remains stable on the following key metrics:

TRAJECTORY IN COVID-LIKE ILLNESS (CLI) SURVEILLANCE OVER 14 DAYS
  • North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is decreasing.
TRAJECTORY OF LAB-CONFIRMED CASES OVER 14 DAYS
  • North Carolina’s trajectory of lab-confirmed cases is slightly increasing.
TRAJECTORY IN PERCENT OF TESTS RETURNING POSITIVE OVER 14 DAYS
  • North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive has been decreasing and is starting to level.
TRAJECTORY IN HOSPITALIZATIONS OVER 14 DAYS
  • North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations is level.

In addition to these metrics, the state continues building capacity to be able to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread. These areas include:

LABORATORY TESTING
  • North Carolina has doubled the daily testing rate from approximately 2,500-3,000 to more than 6,000
TRACING CAPABILITY
  • The Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative has already hired close to 100 new contact tracers adding to the 250 already working at our local health departments.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
  • Supply chains continue to improve with the exception of gowns.

More information about the Governor’s Executive Order No. 138 concerning Phase 1 is available below.

COVID-19 FAQ OF THE DAY

NORTH CAROLINA’S EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 138 IS PHASE 1 OF LIFTING RESTRICTIONS. WHAT WILL BE THE NEXT RESTRICTIONS THE GOVERNOR WILL LIFT IN PHASE 2, AND WHEN WILL THAT HAPPEN?
  • The end of this Order does not necessarily mean the state will move to Phase 2. Phase 1 will be extended unless data shows the state is prepared to move to Phase 2. Phase 2 will likely open more businesses to the public. Social distancing, hand hygiene, and use of cloth face coverings will still be recommended. Depending on state COVID-19 trends, restrictions may be lifted more slowly or some restrictions might have to be re-instated to ensure the health and safety of North Carolinians.

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 15, there are 53 positive cases of COVID-19, 49 pending test results and 2,031 confirmed negative test results, totaling 2,133 tests administered so far among Brunswick County residents. Of the 53 positive cases, 27 are male and 26 are female; 43 are considered recovered cases, seven are isolating at six different homes (one home is not in Brunswick County), one is isolating at a hospital, 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: 11
  • 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)58
Pending Test Sample Results at the State Laboratory or Private Laboratories (County Residents)34
Confirmed Negative Test Results Reported to the County (County Residents)2,074
Number of Test Samples Reported to the County (County Residents)2,166
Positive Cases Isolating at Home (County Residents)11
Positive Cases Isolating at a Hospital (County Residents)1
Recoveries Among Positive Cases (County Residents)44
Associated COVID-19 Deaths (County Residents)2

Statistics as of May 17, 2020 at 7 p.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 17, 2020 at 7 p.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, 43 are considered recovered cases, and seven are isolating at six different homes, one of which is not located in Brunswick County, and one is isolating at a hospital. 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

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:

Find the latest information, case counts, contact information for community partners and food resources in Brunswick County on our Latest Information on Coronavirus webpage.

Posted in News