NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC – New Hanover County Public Health officials have identified four additional positive cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, in New Hanover County – bringing the county’s total confirmed case count to 14.
All four of the cases appear to be travel related. The four individuals are isolated, and Public Health is working on contact tracing to determine those who were in close contact with these individuals while they were symptomatic.
As of 5 p.m. on March 25, 2020, there are 403 test samples reported to the county. Of those, 14 have been confirmed positive, 154 have been confirmed negative and 235 are still pending.
Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) recommends that individuals who are experiencing mild symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should immediately self-isolate at home and away from other household members, and call their healthcare providers to receive guidance over the phone or via teleconference. Testing will no longer be required, and healthcare providers have been instructed to now assume patients with symptoms have COVID-19.
Those currently identified to be at higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19 include those 65 and older, and those with underlying health conditions including chronic lung disease, asthma, compromised immune systems and obesity. Pregnant women should also be monitored since they are known to be at risk of complications for viral illness generally.
If you are experiencing respiratory symptoms such as cough or fever, call your healthcare provider or walk-in clinic. If you do not have access to a healthcare provider, call the New Hanover County Coronavirus Call Center at 910-798-6800 seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., to speak with a public health nurse to help assess your symptoms and, if needed, connect you with a provider.
The White House Coronavirus Task Force shared guidance on Tuesday, March 24, 2020, clarifying that travelers should self-quarantine for 14 days after returning from any area with active community transmission of COVID-19, including New York. More information on traveling within the United States, and precautions to take to prevent COVID-19 while traveling can be found at CDC.gov.
New Hanover County’s Emergency Operations Center, New Hanover Disaster Coalition, and New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) are working together to procure additional personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. Donations are also welcome and drop off hours have expanded through Saturday, March 28. Outreach is ongoing to healthcare providers, industrial partners, the business community and the public. Those who have masks, gowns, gloves, and more are encouraged to donate this protective gear.
Accepted items include:
There are two ways to donate:
Residents can call the New Hanover County Public Health Coronavirus Call Center to speak with a nurse who can answer questions and assess their individual risk and, if needed, connect them with a provider. The Coronavirus Call Center can be reached at 910-798-6800 and is open Monday through Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
New Hanover County Public Health is deploying nurses to homes to conduct flu tests and, if needed, COVID-19 sampling. Individuals must be vetted by the Coronavirus Call Center and determined to meet criteria by the Community Health team.
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, residents must continue increased prevention measures and practice limited contact with others:
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As of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, there are 14 positive case of COVID-19 in New Hanover County. For updates and resources related to the COVID-19 virus in New Hanover County, visit Health.NHCgov.com/Coronavirus, call our Public Health Coronavirus Call Center at 910-798-6800, and follow the county’s trusted social media pages: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor.