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Toe River Health District Updates COVID-19 Numbers for Avery, Mitchell and Yancey Counties

By Tim Gardner

The Toe River Health District which includes health departments in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey, NC counties has released its most recent Coronavirus (COVID-19) numbers this morning, Tuesday, May 12th.

These figures include those tested for the potentially deadly virus, those tested who are confirmed not to be afflicted with the disease and those who are confirmed to be stricken with it. It also includes figures of those who have recovered from the disease and if the ones positive are still active, which means if the person afflicted with the disease have not recovered from it. Pending results means that those tested have neither been confirmed or not confirmed as having COVID-19, but the numbers of their results with be released as soon as possible.

Avery is the only county among North Carolina’s 100 that has yet to have a confirmed case. Mitchell County has had five confirmed cases. For several weeks, Yancey had no cases, but it has seen a surge in the past couple weeks, currently having eight people confirmed to have the disease.

The most updated case numbers as of May 12th in Avery, Mitchell and Yancey counties are:

Avery- 421 People Tested

339 Negative Results

82 Pending Results

0 Positive Results

Mitchell- 172 People Tested

161 Negative Results

6 Pending Results

5 Total Positive Cases

(Of those 5 total positives, includes 0 active cases, and all 5 have recovered)

Yancey- 210 People Tested

174 Negative Results

28 Pending Results

8 Positive Cases (active cases)

As of 10:15 today, North Carolina has had 15,309 cases of COVID-19 and 579 deaths because of it, according to State Health Department reports.

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 emergency 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

Continued use of these measures by everyone will decrease the spread of COVID-19.

 

Those in the Toe River Health District area can learn more about COVID-19 by calling their local health departments at the following numbers:

 

Avery Co. Health Department (828)-733-6031
Mitchell Co. Health Department (828)-688-2371
Yancey Co. Health Department (828)-682-6118