03/29/2024
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Yesterday afternoon, Monday, April 20th, the Bladen County Health Department announced the COVID-19 case count had doubled. The announcement came on the heels of news about the local NC DMV Call Center being closed and confirmed cases at the local Smithfield Foods facility in Tar Heel.  

The health department reported the third and fourth positive cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) for Bladen County residents. The first case identified has recovered. The remaining individuals are isolating at home, doing well, according to Dr. Teresa (Terri) Duncan.

The NC DMV Call Center re-opened to workers today, Tuesday, April 21 after their employee’s COVID-19 test came back negitive. However, no information has been provided on how citizens who may have been possibly exposed to the COVID-19 are informed. No information has been announced on where the individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 work or live in Bladen County.

However, the local health department did state, based on information provided, county public health officials will assess risks of exposure, and determine which, if any, additional measures are needed such as temperature and symptom checks, quarantine and/or testing.

Some local citizens have voiced concerns about testing for the virus. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on March 16 it took two additional significant diagnostic actions during the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) by issuing Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) to: Hologic for its Panther Fusion SARS-COV-2 Assay, and Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp) for its COVID-19 RT-PCR test. 

Pixel by Lab Corp, based in North Carolina is now offering an at home nasal COVID-19 test kit. On their website the company announced, “Now you can access COVID-19 testing from home.”

On the product’s page Pixel states, “We’ll send you an at-home kit to collect your nasal swab sample and ship it back to our lab. Our lab will test your sample for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease (also called COVID-19), a respiratory illness.”

Pixel by LabCorp offers this test and collection kit with an FDA Emergency Use Authorization.

The North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services reported at 10:35 a.m. currently there are 6,951 COVID-19 cases in North Carolina with 213 cases ending in death. There have been 83,331 completed tests, 427 patients hospitalized, and 93 counties infected.

Because COVID-19 is most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, North Carolinians should take the same measures that health care providers recommend to prevent the spread. First diagnosed in Wuhan, China in December 2019, COVID-19 has since spread around the globe. When an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales air, droplets containing the SARS-CoV-2 virus go into the air and onto surfaces and objects around them. Other people are exposed to the virus by breathing in these droplets or by touching their eyes, nose, or mouth after touching infected surfaces. 

• Social distancing (e.g. avoiding crowds, self-quarantining, etc.)

• Washing hands frequently with soap and water, and for at least 20 seconds each time

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands

• Avoid close contact with people who are ill

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, throw it away, and then wash your hands

• Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose

• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched

Symptoms for COVID-19 are fever, cough, and other lower respiratory illnesses (shortness of breath). If you believe that you may have COVID-19, please call your health care provider, or the Health Department call center. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, until further notice. Individuals may also call 2-1-1. This NCDHHS call center is available 24/7, in English and Spanish.

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