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Second Case of Coronavirus Confirmed in Mitchell County on April 1st

The Mitchell County Health Department, part of Toe River Health District which encompasses Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties, was notified at 3:45 p.m. today, Wednesday, April 1st, that a second Mitchell resident has tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19). The individual is in isolation, according to health department officials.

It is Mitchell County’s second confirmed case of COVID-19.

Mitchell public health staff have already initiated an investigation and will be identifying close contacts to contain the spread of disease. To protect individual privacy and for legal purposes, no further information about the case will be released according to the TRHD.

Because COVID-19 is most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, medical professionals urge everyone to take precautions to protect themselves from the spread of all respiratory illness, including flu and COVID-19:

Stay home
Especially stay home when sick
Practice social distancing- stay at least 6 feet away from others
Avoid contact with persons that 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 a hand sanitizer that is at least 60 percent alcohol.

Medical professionals also recommend cleaning frequently touched surfaces with household cleaners. Routine use of these measures by everyone will decrease the spread of viruses and respiratory diseases.

Call the North Carolina Coronavirus Hotline at 1-866-462-3821 (staffed by nurses and pharmacists 24/7), or visit the Centers for Disease Control’s web site for information and frequent updates at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.