Tag Archive for: #covid19

Vance County Courthouse

Vance County Court Sessions Canceled Through Nov. 25

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In response to an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Vance County Courthouse, the Hon. Henry Gupton informed WIZS News that court sessions are canceled for next week. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, this would include Monday, November 23, Tuesday, November 24 and Wednesday, November 25, 2020.

Gupton said, “I met with Granville Vance Health Department officials late yesterday afternoon concerning the current situation in my office, which is now considered by them to be a cluster. My office is currently open with limited staffing for filings that are required by North Carolina General Statute, and the courthouse remains open. However, after a conversation late yesterday afternoon with our Chief District Court Judge John W. Davis and our District Attorney Mike Waters, a decision has been made to cancel all courts in Vance County scheduled for next week, which would be Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, in order to protect our staff as well as the citizens of Vance County.”

On Wednesday, the decision was made to cancel court for the rest of this week due to “two or three positive COVID tests of those who work in or around the courthouse and the courtrooms.” A thorough cleaning of the courthouse will be performed.

WIZS will bring you additional information on this situation as it is released.

NC Governor Logo

NC’s New COVID County Alert System Codes Vance, Warren ‘Substantial’ Spread

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) announced a new COVID-19 County Alert System to pinpoint counties with the highest levels of viral spread and offer specific recommendations to bring numbers down.

This system will help give local leaders another tool to understand how their county is faring and to make decisions about actions to slow viral spread. The map will be updated every four weeks (click here).

“By pinpointing counties with high virus transmission and asking everyone in those counties to work with us and do more right now to slow the spread of the virus, we can succeed,” Governor Cooper said. “It can help bring down their case rates, keep their communities safer, save lives and keep their hospital systems working.”

“It’s going to take all of us working together to avoid tightening restrictions like so many states are now doing,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen. “The COVID-19 County Alert System gives North Carolinians an easy way to see how their county is doing and know what they can do protect their family and neighbors and slow the spread of this virus.”

The system uses metrics informed by the White House Coronavirus Task Force and North Carolina’s key metrics to categorize counties into three tiers:

Yellow: Significant Community Spread

Orange: Substantial Community Spread

Red: Critical Community Spread

Because no one metric provides a complete picture, the COVID-19 County Alert System uses a combination of three metrics: case rate, the percent of tests that are positive, and hospital impact within the county.

To be assigned to the red or orange tier, a county must meet the threshold for case rate for that tier AND the threshold for either percent positive OR hospital impact.

  • Case Rate: The number of new cases in 14 days per 100,000 people
  • Percent Positive: The percent of tests that are positive over 14 days
  • Hospital Impact: A composite score based on the impact that COVID-19 has had on hospitals including percent of COVID-19 hospitalizations, COVID-19 related visits to the Emergency Department, staffed open hospital beds, and critical staffing shortages over 14 days

Counties that do not meet the criteria for red or orange are categorized as being in the yellow tier (significant community spread) and should continue to be vigilant to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

Locally, Vance and Warren counties are coded orange for substantial community spread, while Warren and Franklin counties are coded yellow for significant community spread (as of Nov. 17, 2020).

Vance County has a 9.1% 14-Day Percent Positive rate; 464.8 14-Day Case Rate Per 100,000 and a moderate hospital impact.

Granville County has a 5% 14-Day Percent Positive rate; 355.7 14-Day Case Rate Per 100,000 and a low hospital impact.

Warren County has a 7.3% 14-Day Percent Positive rate; 299 14-Day Case Rate Per 100,000 and a moderate hospital impact.

Franklin County has a 6.8% 14-Day Percent Positive rate; 302.8 14-Day Case Rate Per 100,000 and a low hospital impact.

The Alert System includes recommendations for individuals, businesses, community organizations and public officials in every county, as well as specific stepped-up recommendations for orange and red counties.

To read more and see Frequently Asked Questions, visit the alert page.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

GVPH Director Discusses Spike in COVID Cases Ahead of the Holidays

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison told WIZS News that the local spike in COVID-19 cases is the highest Vance and Granville counties have seen since the pandemic began. According to the latest GVPH data, there are currently 271 reported active cases in Vance County and 202 in Granville County.

“I worry the most about Thanksgiving and families getting together and not practicing public health recommendations to stay safe and keep their family and friends safe,” said Harrison. “There are ways to still get together, but people have to be really careful: wear their masks, not eat around one table together and, if it’s nice out, be outside as much as possible. This will be hard. I expect another spike in the weeks following Thanksgiving.”

If you decide to host or attend a holiday gathering, there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of spreading COVID-19. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) provides the following steps to Celebrate Thanksgiving Safely (click here).

It is strongly recommended that people not participate in traditional Black Friday shopping events that can create large crowds and increase the risk of spreading COVID-19. Here are some guidelines for Safer Black Friday Shopping.

Colleges and universities have seen cases and clusters of COVID-19 throughout the fall semester. While the holidays are a time when families and others gather together, you should be careful and take steps to prevent the spread of the virus while you’re on break. Here are some guidelines for Safer Holiday Breaks.

The following is an update for COVID-19 spread and response in Granville and Vance County as of November 16, 2020. Granville Vance Public Health numbers correlate with the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NCEDSS) data.

The county case numbers reported on the NC county map from the NC Department of Health and Human Services may differ from the ones reported locally as they are updated at different times and may change once residence is verified.

Granville County

2,311 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 2,311, 1,606 are community-spread cases located across Granville County. Of those 1,606, 1,404 have been released from isolation.

Of those 2,311, 531 cases are affiliated with the prison system in Granville County, and 505 of those 531 have been released from isolation.

Of those 2,311, 174 are associated with outbreaks at long-term care facilities, including 58 at Murdoch Development Center, 95 at Universal Health Care and 17 at Granville House.

The outbreaks at Central Regional Hospital and Brantwood are no longer active.

Of the 174 cases in long-term care facilities in Granville County, 130 have been released from isolation.

Seven individuals in Granville County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 55 deaths in Granville County: eight in the community, one associated with Central Regional Hospital, one associated with Granville House, two associated with Murdoch Development Center, 21 associated with Universal Health Care, and 22 associated with the Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Complex.

Unfortunately, there has been a recent death associated with Granville House. A 74-year-old white female passed away on November 16.

Vance County

1,418 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 1,418, 1,263 are community-spread cases located across Vance County. Of those 1,263, 992 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,418, 155 are associated with outbreaks at congregate living facilities, including 47 at Senior Citizens Home. Senior Citizens is currently experiencing a second outbreak.

The outbreaks at Kerr Lake Nursing Home, Alliance Rehabilitative Care and Pelican Health Nursing Home are no longer active.

Of the 155 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 95 have been released from isolation.

Twelve individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 48 deaths in Vance County: 14 associated with the Pelican Health nursing home outbreak, 12 associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home, two associated with Senior Citizens Home, and 20 in the community.

Unfortunately, there has been another death in the community: a 74-year-old white male passed away on November 15.

Additional Information

The number of those who have been ‘released from isolation’ is determined by the CDC Guidance for discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19.

Please visit GVPH’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard (click here) for tables and graphs that are updated daily, including a seven-day rolling average, as well as new cases by day for each county graphed.

Town Talk Logo

Town Talk 11/16/20: Deputy Sheriff Charged With Extortion; Increase in COVID Cases

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– Vance County Deputy Sheriff Mitch Pittman turned himself into the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation after being charged with two counts of Extortion and two counts of Obstruction of Justice.

– Local cases of COVID-19 continue to rise.

Click play for the Town Talk audio…

Local News Audio

Noon News 11-11-20 Weather Update; Veteran’s Day Events; Henderson Tobacco Warehouse; Covid19

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Noon News for 11 Nov. 2020. Stories include:

– Weather update

– Veteran’s Day Events around the local area

– Henderson Tobacco Warehouse revitalization

– Covid19 update

For full details and audio click Play

 

 

NCDHHS

NCDHHS Releases New Guidance for Thanksgiving Celebrations, Black Friday Shopping

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The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released new guidance for Thanksgiving celebrations and Black Friday shopping to help North Carolinians gauge the risks, protect their friends and loved ones, and slow the spread of COVID-19.

“The best way to protect loved ones during Thanksgiving is to limit travel and gatherings with anyone who does not live in your household,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “If you do plan to get together, there are important steps you can take to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to your family and friends.”

Because North Carolina is experiencing high numbers of COVID-19 cases across the state, NCDHHS urges caution when gathering for Thanksgiving and other holiday celebrations, especially for gatherings that include people who are at a higher risk of developing complications from COVID-19, such as anyone over the age of 65.

If people do plan on traveling or gathering, they should consider having a screening COVID-19 test three to four days ahead of time. A screening test can help someone know if they have COVID-19 even if they do not yet have symptoms. However, a screening test can miss some infections. Furthermore, a negative test only gives you information for that point in time.

Screening tests are available at state-funded community testing events. Call ahead to other testing sites to see if they offer screening tests at their locations. Community testing events and other testing sites are listed online at ncdhhs.gov/testingplace.

“Consider getting a screening test ahead of your Thanksgiving travel or gathering. If you test positive, stay home and isolate. If you test negative, it’s not a free pass. Wear a mask and practice all 3Ws, including keeping 6 feet of distance from others and washing hands often,” Secretary Cohen said.

People who have been recently diagnosed with COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been around a person with COVID-19, should not host or participate in any in-person gatherings until they complete their isolation or quarantine period.

For a full list of guidance about traveling and gathering during the holidays, along with a chart outlining low, medium and high-risk activities, see the NCDHHS Interim Guidance for Thanksgiving Holiday.

During Black Friday shopping, it is strongly recommended individuals do not participate in any traditional Black Friday shopping where customers gather in large groups waiting for the store to open or are in crowded stores for extended times.

Any large gathering of people poses an increased risk of spreading COVID-19. People at high risk for COVID-19 complications should limit in-person shopping. And people who have recently been diagnosed with COVID-19, have COVID-19 like symptoms or who have been exposed to COVID-19, should not shop in person until their isolation or quarantine period is over.

Individuals who do shop in person should follow the 3Ws and remember stores are limited to 50 percent capacity. For further Black Friday guidance, including step-by-step tips for how to reduce risk while shopping, see the NCDHHS Interim Guidance for Black Friday Shopping.

Franklin County Logo

COVID-19 Outbreak Reported at the Franklin County Detention Center

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-Press Release, Franklin County Government

The Franklin County Health Department (FCHD) reports that as of Friday afternoon two (2) staff–members and thirty (30) inmates have tested positive for COVID–19 at the Franklin County Detention Center in Louisburg, NC. 

Staff from the Franklin County Health Department and the Franklin County Sheriff‘s Office are working together to address this outbreak for the safety of inmates and staff. 

Working in consultation with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), the FCHD and the Sheriff‘s Office quickly implemented testing of inmates and Detention Center staff, contact tracing, quarantine/isolation measures and enhanced cleaning protocols. 

The FCHD will continue regular testing of inmates and staff, contact tracing and the use of quarantine and isolation protocols in response to this outbreak. 

Sheriff Kent Winstead stated that “the safety of our staff and inmates are our top priority and we will continue to work with the Health Department and follow CDC guidelines and all safety protocols as we move forward.” 

Local Health Director, Scott Lavigne, stated that “the early testing of inmates and staff, contact tracing, the use of quarantine/isolation measures and the wearing of face coverings and other personal protective equipment (PPE), will greatly assist us in resolving this outbreak.” 

The Franklin County COVID–19 Emergency Operations Center will issue additional statements as more information becomes available.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

GVPH Local COVID-19 Update as of 11/05/20

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

The following is an update for COVID-19 spread and response in Granville and Vance County as of November 5, 2020. Granville Vance Public Health numbers correlate with the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NCEDSS) data.

The county case numbers reported on the NC county map from the NC Department of Health and Human Services may differ from the ones reported locally as they are updated at different times and may change once residence is verified.

Granville County

2,144 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 2,144, 1,460 are community-spread cases located across Granville County. Of those 1,460, 1,256 have been released from isolation.

Of those 2,144, 528 cases are affiliated with the prison system in Granville County, and 501 of those 528 have been released from isolation.

Of those 2,144, 156 are associated with outbreaks at long-term care facilities, including 50 at Murdoch Development Center and 95 at Universal Health Care.

The outbreaks at Central Regional Hospital, Brantwood and Granville House are no longer active.

Of the 156 cases in long-term care facilities in Granville County, 113 have been released from isolation.

Four individuals in Granville County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 51 deaths in Granville County: six in the community, one associated with Central Regional Hospital, one associated with Murdoch Development Center, 21 associated with Universal Health Care and 22 associated with the Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Complex.

Vance County

1,259 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 1,259, 1,123 are community-spread cases located across Vance County. Of those 1,123, 925 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,259, 136 are associated with outbreaks at congregate living facilities, including 12 at Senior Citizens Home.

The outbreaks at Kerr Lake Nursing Home, Alliance Rehabilitative Care and Pelican Health Nursing Home are no longer active.

Of the 136 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 97 have been released from isolation.

Five individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 47 deaths in Vance County: 14 associated with the Pelican Health nursing home outbreak, 12 associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home, two associated with Senior Citizens Home and 19 in the community.

WIZS Note: There are 198 total known active cases in the Vance County community and 204 in the Granville County community at large at this time (excluding congregate living numbers).

Additional Information

The number of those who have been ‘released from isolation’ is determined by the CDC Guidance for discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19.

Please visit GVPH’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard (click here) for tables and graphs that are updated daily.

NC Governor Logo

NC to Remain Paused in Phase 3

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina will remain paused in Phase 3 for three more weeks as health officials continue to monitor North Carolina’s viral trends. North Carolina has seen increased hospitalizations and trajectory of cases in recent weeks. Governor Cooper underscored the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, and using good judgment despite fatigue or frustration with the pandemic.

“As this pandemic continues, I know it’s difficult and tiring to keep up our guard, especially when we’re gathered with people we love. But it’s necessary. No one wants to spread COVID-19 accidentally to friends or family, so we must keep prevention at the forefront,” said Governor Cooper. “Wearing a mask shows you care about people. Wearing a mask is an easy way to protect our communities and look out for each other. Confronting the virus head-on and doing our part as individuals is good for our health and good for our economy.”

Also today, Governor Cooper updated on progress with the NC Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) program. Since Governor Cooper announced the (HOPE) Program last week, 12,000 eligible applicants have filed for assistance. The HOPE Program provides assistance to eligible low-and-moderate income renters experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic by making direct payments to landlords and utility companies. People can apply for help by calling 2-1-1 or going to nc211.org/hope.

“As the number of applications climbs higher every day, it should make us remember that it’s more than a number. Every one of those applications represents a family having to make impossible choices between basic necessities during a global pandemic,” said Governor Cooper.

Yesterday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen and Secretary of Department of Public Safety Erik Hooks sent a letter to local officials in communities with increased viral spread urging their continued action in fighting COVID-19 and suggesting additional measures to mitigate its spread. Read more about that letter here.

“We are doing everything we can to slow the spread of this virus. This simple fact is we can’t do it on our own. Ignoring the virus doesn’t make it go away – just the opposite,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “As hard as this is, it will end. We will get through this. Let’s do it by looking out for one another. Whatever your reason, get behind the mask.”

Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is level.

Trajectory of Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory of cases is increasing.

In addition to these metrics, the state continues building capacity to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread in testing, tracing and prevention.

Laboratory Testing

  • Testing capacity is high.

Tracing Capability

  • The state is continuing to hire contact tracers to bolster the efforts of local health departments.
  • There have been almost 250,000 downloads of the exposure notification app, SlowCOVIDNC.

Personal Protective Equipment

  • North Carolina’s personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are stable.

Read Executive Order 170.

Read the slides from today’s briefing.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

GVPH COVID-19 Update as of 10/5/20

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

The following is an update for COVID-19 spread and response in Granville and Vance County as of October 5, 2020. Granville Vance Public Health numbers correlate with the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NCEDSS) data.

The county case numbers reported on the NC county map from the NC Department of Health and Human Services may differ from the ones reported locally as they are updated at different times and may change once residence is verified.

Granville County

1,794 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 1,794, 1,132 are community-spread cases located across Granville County. Of those 1,132, 1,022 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,794, 526 cases are affiliated with the prison system in Granville County and 494 of those 526 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,794, 136 are associated with outbreaks at long-term care facilities including 30 at Murdoch Development Center, two at Central Regional Hospital, one at Brantwood Nursing and Rehab Center and 95 at Universal Health Care.

The outbreak at Granville House is no longer active. Of the 136 cases in long term care facilities in Granville County, 112 have been released from isolation.

11 individuals in Granville County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 50 deaths in Granville County: five in the community, one associated with Central Regional Hospital, one associated with Murdoch Development Center, 21 associated with Universal Health Care and 22 associated with the Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Complex.

Vance County

1,051 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 1,051, 926 are community-spread cases located across Vance County. Of those 926, 804 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,051, 125 are associated with outbreaks at congregate living facilities including 49 cases associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

The outbreaks at Alliance Rehabilitative Care, Senior Citizens Home and Pelican Health nursing home are no longer active.

Of the 125 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 96 have been released from isolation.

12 individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 45 deaths in Vance County: 14 associated with the Pelican Health nursing home outbreak, 12 associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home, two associated with Senior Citizens Home and 17 in the community. Unfortunately, there has been another death in the community: a 72-year-old male passed away on October 3, 2020.

WIZS Note: There are 122 total known active cases in the Vance County community and 110 in the Granville County community at large at this time (excluding congregate living numbers). One additional COVID-19 related Vance County death and no additional Granville County deaths have been reported in the last seven days,.

Additional Information

The number of those who have been ‘released from isolation’ is determined by the CDC Guidance for discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19.

Please visit GVPH’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard (click here) for tables and graphs that are updated daily.