By Tim Gardner
Today, June 11, the Avery County Health Department (ACHD), part of the Toe River Health District (TRHD), has confirmed that another Avery County resident has tested positive for novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing its number of cases of the disease to nine.
Health Department officials have ruled that this positive case of the virus is not related to any of the other COVID-19 cases in the county and have indicated that this latest person confirmed to have the disease is in isolation.
Seven of those COVID-19 cases in Avery County are active and two persons afflicted with the virus have recovered, according to the ACHD and TRHD.
TRHD and ACHD staffs have an investigation underway investigation and are in contact with others who may have had contact with the person with the virus in an effort to contain the spread of disease.
For legal reasons, no further information about the case will be released.
The TRHD, which also encompasses Mitchell and Yancey, NC Counties and the ACHD, will continue to keep the public informed by announcing any additional cases that may arise through local and regional media.
Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste, loss of smell, headaches, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea and body aches. If you experience these symptoms, please call a healthcare provider or Emergency Room worker and follow their advice. If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 and inform the dispatcher that you have symptoms of COVID-19.
Because COVID-19 is most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, doctors, nurses and other medical professionals urges everyone to take precautions to protect themselves from the spread of all respiratory illness, including flu and COVID-19:
• Stay home as much as possible
• Especially stay home when sick
• Practice social distancing (at least 6 feet apart for other individuals)
• Wear a mask when out in public
• Avoid contact with persons who you know are sick
• Cover your cough (cough into the crook of your elbow; or use a tissue and throw in trash)
• Practice good hand hygiene (wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing)
• If you do not have access to soap and water, use hand sanitizer that consists of at least 60 percent alcohol
• Consistently frequently touched surfaces with household cleaners
Routine use of these measures by everyone will decrease the spread of viruses and respiratory diseases
For more information, call the North Carolina Coronavirus Hotline at 1-866-462-3821 (staffed by nurses and pharmacists 24 hours a day; 7 days a week).