The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services updated its Ongoing Outbreaks and Clusters map on Tuesday, showing Bladen County has one nursing home outbreak. The state’s site did not release the facility’s address or name in the report but will release the information on Friday, July 24, 2020.
According to Shannon Henderson, RN/LNHA with Bladen East Health and Rehab, on July 15, 2020, Bladen East Health and Rehab was notified of an employee testing positive for COVID-19.
Henderson stated, “The facility immediately notified Bladen County Health Department, residents’ families, and employees of the positive case. Testing of all facility residents and staff has been completed with no additional positive cases identified. Bladen East Health and Rehab continues to follow all CDC recommendations for infection control.”
*Dr. Terri Duncan, Bladen Country Health and Human Serviced Director stated, “Bladen East Health and Rehab leadership and staff have taken proactive measures since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. Their concern and work for the safety and well-being of the residents and staff are to be commended.” (This quote was corrected to acknowledge Dr. Duncan as the person responsible for the quote.)
According to figures released Wednesday by the Bladen County Health and Human Services Department, Bladen County has had 509 positive COVID-19 cases reported, and an estimated 403 people have presumed recovered from the COVID-19 virus. There are 101 active, positive cases in the county, and three people are currently hospitalized. Bladen County has had five deaths related to Coronavirus.
Statewide, there have been 105,001 positive cases reported with 1,137 currently hospitalized and 1698 deaths reported as of Wednesday, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
COVID-19 TESTING SITES
White Oak Fire Department, 18038 Hwy 53 White Oak NC Friday, July 24, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., free (sponsored by White Oak Fire Dept./Bladen County Health Dept/NCDHHS/ Orgin3
Centerville Baptist Church, 18577 East Hwy 53, Monday July 27, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., free (sponsored by Centerville Baptist Church/ Bladen County Health Dept/NCDHHS/ Orgin3
CommWell Health (1-910-567-7114 or 1-877-WELL-ALL (935-5255) continues to test in Tar Heel, Monday-Friday, times vary.
Cape Fear Valley-Bladen Clinics and Express Care offer testing (Bladenboro, Clarkton, Dublin, Elizabethtown and White Lake) for anyone exhibiting symptoms or those in high risk groups without symptoms, after a visit with the provider on duty. Contact the clinic located in your area for further information:
** Bladenboro 910-863-3138
** Clarkton 910-862-1217
** Dublin 910-862-3528
** Elizabethtown 910-862-5500
** White Lake 910-862-1265
** Express Care 910-862-2122
Robeson Health Care Corporation is testing at the St. Pauls site (910-241-30420), times vary.
Bladen cases have been linked to social gatherings, work, travel and community acquired (unknown source). Bladen County residents are vulnerable of getting or spreading the virus. In addition to fever, cough and shortness of breath, the CDC added symptoms for the coronavirus: chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, and a new loss of taste. There is no vaccine for the virus.
INCREASED TESTING
Increased testing, including for those without symptoms, expanded contact tracing, and adherence to control measures like self-isolation and quarantine, are important to control viral transmission across the state. Guidelines for testing include:
** Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.
** Close contacts of known positive cases, regardless of symptoms.
** Populations with higher risk of exposure or a higher risk of severe disease if they become infected, if they believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19, whether or not they have symptoms.
** People who live in or have regular contact with high-risk settings (e.g., long-term care facility, homeless shelter, correctional facility, migrant farmworker camp)
** Historically marginalized populations
** Frontline and essential workers (grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, child care workers, construction sites, processing plants, etc.) in settings where social distancing is difficult to maintain
** People who are at high risk of severe illness (e.g. people over 65 years of age, people of any age with underlying health conditions
** People who have attended protests, rallies, or other mass gatherings could have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or could have exposed others. Testing should be considered for people who attended such events, particularly if they were in crowds or other situations where they couldn’t practice effective social distancing.
Yesterday’s report:
https://bladencounty.org/bladen-county-covid-19-update-and-testing-sites-2/
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