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Toe River Health District Announces Fifth Confirmed Case of COVID-19 in Mitchell County

By Tim Gardner

The Mitchell County, NC Health Department, part of Toe River Health District, was notified at 11:20 a.m. on Thursday, April 16th that another one of its county residents has tested positive for novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The individual is in isolation.

It is the fifth confirmed COVID-19 case in Mitchell County.

Public health officials have already initiated an investigation and will be identifying close contacts to contain the spread of disease. To protect individual privacy and for legal reasons, Mitchell Health Department representatives said no further information about the case will be released.

Ironically, Avery and Yancey counties, also part of the Toe River Health District have not had any confirmed COVID-19 cases. There are among only seven counties in the State of North Carolina, which still do not.

The Toe River Health District also released its most updated case numbers as of April 16th. They include:

*Avery-

63 People Tested

61 Negative Results

2 Pending Results

0 Positive Results

 

*Mitchell-

76 People Tested

66 Negative Results

6 Pending Results

2 People have tested Positive

2 People have Recovered

 

*Yancey-

71 People Tested

69 Negative Results

0 Positive Results

2 Pending Results

 

Medical professionals maintain that it is important for people to understand that the identification of additional case does not change local strategies for preventing and reducing the spread of disease. Above all, please isolate yourself at home if you are sick. Coronavirus symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. If you experience these symptoms, please call your healthcare provider 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, Health Department officers, doctors and other 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 hand sanitizer that is at least 60 percent alcohol

Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces with household cleaners

Routine use of these measures by everyone will decrease the spread of viruses and respiratory diseases in our community.

 

It is important to make sure the information you are getting about COVID-19. For more information, call the North Carolina Coronavirus Hotline at 1-866-462-3821 (staffed by nurses and pharmacists 24/7) for information and frequent updates.