Tag Archive for: #covid19

Latest Covid-19 Vance Co. and “Recovery” Info

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Brian Short, H-V Director of Emergency Operations, and Lisa Harrison, Director G-V District Health Department, provide email correspondence daily and include WIZS News.

To quote a few lines from Short’s Sunday afternoon situation report:

“As of now, the total number of confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Vance County has increased to 30. Five (5) individuals have now been released from isolation, three (3) more remain hospitalized, 22 individuals are currently isolated at home and [there has been] one (1) death as a result of complications associated with Coronavirus infection.

“Keep in mind that even though you are not feeling sick, you could still be infected with this virus. Please think not only of yourself but of those around you. Each and every one of us has the power to directly affect how quickly or slowly this virus spreads.

“Testing is ongoing through both Maria Parham Health, our local Health Department and private institutions. There are currently 6,493 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in North Carolina with 465 currently hospitalized and thus far 172 deaths. Please visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services Coronavirus statistics page at the following link to stay current on the number of cases in our state: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/covid-19-case-count-nc”

Harrison took the time Sunday afternoon to respond to some Facebook questions, and we are linking a WIZS Facebook post, click here, for you to review about Covid-19 “recovery” information.  The “recovery” info is in the comments.

As you will see, there are still a lot of ifs, ands and buts to declaring someone recovered.  Harrison said making that declaration is “a clinical assessment.”

 

Warren County Logo

First Case of COVID-19 Confirmed in Warren County

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

An individual was tested for COVID-19 on Monday, March 30 and confirmation of a positive COVID-19 test result was received at the Warren County Health Department on Friday, April 3. The individual is currently receiving medical care at an inpatient facility. To protect privacy, no additional information about the individual will be shared by the health department.

“Given the spread of COVID-19 across North Carolina and in our region, we are not surprised to receive our first case,” stated Dr. Margaret Brake, Warren County Health Director.

Warren County Health Department’s Communicable Disease staff is working at this time to conduct contact tracing to make sure everyone who came into close contact with this individual is quarantined. Close contact is anyone who was within six feet of the individual for 10 minutes or more.

Contacts of individuals who are confirmed positive for COVID-19 will be given information about isolation and quarantine and asked to monitor symptoms. Due to the limited supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and test kits across the state and nation, Warren County residents should not seek testing for Coronavirus unless they have symptoms (fever, cough or difficulty breathing, shortness of breath) or have been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive. State guidance continues to require those symptoms to be present in order to send in a sample for testing. Residents who are sick should call their doctor before going to the office, hospital or urgent care.

While this illness is not severe for most people and they can recover at home, it can be really serious for others. Individuals who have a higher risk for complications are those 65 years and older; have chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma; weakened immune systems; pregnant women and infants.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, at this time there are no approved treatments and no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. However, there are known methods to reduce and slow the spread of infection. Individuals can practice everyday prevention measures like frequent hand washing, staying home when sick, disinfecting surfaces, and covering coughs and sneezes.

Community-based interventions can also slow the spread of COVID-19. This includes measures collectively known as “social distancing.” Social distancing measures aim to reduce the frequency of contact and increase the physical distance between persons, thereby reducing the risks of person-to-person transmission. Implementation of these measures can slow the spread of this disease.

“Residents are advised to comply with Governor Cooper’s Stay at Home Order, only going out for essential needs. We urge you to stay home to save lives,” says Dr. Margaret Brake, Warren County Health Director.

For more information on COVID-19 and preventive measures you can take, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html or the NC Department of Health and Human Services website: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina.

Residents can also call the Warren County COVID-19 Information Line at 252-257-7132, Monday– Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit the Warren County Government website at https://www.warrencountync.com/712/COVID-19-Resources.

H-V Emergency Operations

Vance County Situation Report 3/28/20

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— information from and written entirely by Brian Short, H-V Director of Emergency Operations

Yesterday, Governor Cooper issued Executive Order 121, advising North Carolina residents to stay at home in an attempt to reduce the number of individuals being infected with the COVID-19 virus in our state. With the issuance of this order, we have seen an increase in calls with general questions into the Vance County 911 center regarding the order and to what extent individuals are permitted to move around now that it is in place. 911 personnel are not equipped to answer questions of this nature nor is it their responsibility to do so. We are asking residents NOT to call 911 for any general questions pertaining to the Coronavirus. As always 911 is for emergencies only. Calling 911 for general questions and other non emergency reasons could actually delay help for someone with a true emergency.

211 has established a hotline for this purpose and we ask that our citizens contact their local physician or take advantage of the hotline if they have medical related questions. There is a also a toll free Coronavirus hotline manned by trained individuals that can answer questions that you may have. The number is 888-892-1162. You may also visit the NC Department of Health an Human Services website at the following link: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina

As we move further into the Coronavirus worldwide pandemic please keep in mind this continues to be a very fluid situation and the information provided and included could change at any time. The confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to increase throughout the state, nation and in fact the world. We continue to coordinate with Public Health agencies, Maria Parham Health, Department of Social Services, State Emergency Management and our local emergency services response partners. We are communicating several times daily in attempt to gauge their needs and be as proactive in meeting those needs as we can be.

As of the creation of this situation report, Vance County have three (3) positive cases of the Coronavirus in Vance County. All individuals continue to be isolated at home and our local health department is actively conducting contact tracing to determine the level of exposure to others. At this time, we are not implementing any changes to our current response posture nor are we altering our recommendations to the general public.

Testing is ongoing through both Maria Parham Health, our local Health Department and private institutions. There are currently over 1,000 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in North Carolina and thus far four (4) deaths. Please visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services Coronavirus statistics page at the following link to stay current on the number of cases in our state: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/covid-19-case-count-nc

Personal protective equipment (PPE) continues to be very scarce as global competition for the same supplies is occurring. Responders and health care providers are being encouraged to reuse PPE, in particular masks as often as possible to ensure that we hold on to our supplies for as long as possible. Once they run out, they could be out for an extended period of time.

We continue to wait for previously submitted requests for PPE and related resources to State EM to be filled and we are hopeful that they will be very soon.

Vance County and the City of Henderson continue to operate under a local State of Emergency. Being under a local state of emergency allows to implement certain emergency protective measures if an when they should become necessary.

The Emergency Operations Center is currently not activated, however our Emergency Management staff is closely monitoring the situation across the country and at home on a continuous basis.

The 911 Telecommunicators are asking additional Coronavirus screening questions on all medical related calls and will continue to do so until it is no longer needed. Our Backup 911 center remains prepped and ready to be occupied if needed. This is purely as a precaution.