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COVID-19 Update: Watauga County Surpasses 400 Total Cases with 103 Current Active Cases

By Nathan Ham

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Watauga County jumped 27 percent in two weeks from August 8 to August 21, increasing from 309 to 426 over that time period. The increase in cases on Appalachian State’s campus has been noticeable as well during that time as students moved back for the beginning of fall semester classes. Appalachian State now has 55 active cases on campus (50 students, five employees) and now has had a total of 119 students, 41 subcontractors, and 22 employees test positive with the coronavirus so far in 2020. 

Watauga County currently has 103 active cases and 126 people being actively monitored. Ashe County has 23 active cases with a total of 179 cases overall and 43 people being actively monitored. Alleghany County has 17 active cases with 185 total cases and 11 people being actively monitored. 

Throughout the three-county area served by AppHealthCare, there has been a total of 790 positive coronavirus cases and there are currently 24 people hospitalized from the virus. The area has still had just one death reported. 

Other areas have not been as lucky with death numbers increasing in both Wilkes and Caldwell counties. Caldwell County has experienced 14 deaths while Wilkes County has 19 deaths. 

Across the United States, as of Friday afternoon, the number of people who are confirmed to have coronavirus is 5,623,512. Sadly, 174,141 people have died from the virus.
 
In North Carolina, the number of people who are “laboratory-confirmed” to have coronavirus is 151,912. Currently, 1,015 people are hospitalized. To date, 2,494 North Carolinians have died from coronavirus. NCDHHS estimates that as of Monday 127,749 have recovered.