Bladen County Health and Human Services released the daily COVID-19 (coronavirus) update. Last week, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released information about a Bladen County childcare facility cluster and an ongoing outbreak at a Bladen County congregate living facilities.
Today, the NCDHHS released an update stating, Bladen Health and Rehab, total positive COVID-19 cases now stand at six cases. All positive COVID-19 infections at the facility are of staff members. There are no residents reported with the coronavirus. Last week the facility was reported to have only two positive cases.
Bladen East Migrant Head Start was the daycare facility reported last week with a cluster of COVID-19 cases. All positive cases at the facility were also staff members. The local daycare facility has no new cases reported this week.
Dr. Teresa (Terri) Duncan, Bladen County Health and Human Services Director, said last week about the two facilities, “They both have done really nice jobs pre and post events. They took preventative measures prior to the positive cases, and they have worked with us in every way possible.”
Health care providers stress the importance of practicing the three W’s.
If you leave home, practice your Ws: Wear, Wait, Wash
- Wear a cloth covering over your nose and mouth.
- Wait 6 feet apart. Avoid close contact.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
View the Bladen County and North Carolina COVID-19 reports here.
The NCDHHS states, there is no specific treatment for COVID-19. Most people with illnesses caused by coronaviruses like COVID-19 will recover on their own. However, there are some things you can do to relieve your symptoms, including:
- Taking pain and fever medications (caution: do not give aspirin to children).
- Using a humidifier or taking a hot shower to ease a sore throat and cough.
- Drinking plenty of liquids and stay home and rest.
Follow instructions from your local health department and health care provider for appropriate care.
Medications and treatments for COVID-19 are being investigated, including through clinical trials in North Carolina and across the nation. A clinical trial is a type of research study used to test if a drug or medical device is both safe and effective for human use. Registered trials for drugs being studied for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 can be found at ClinicalTrials.gov.
Who Should Get Tested?
- Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19.
- Close contacts of known positive cases, regardless of symptoms.
- Groups of some of the populations with higher risk of exposure or a higher risk of severe disease if they become infected. People in these groups should get tested 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).
- People from historically marginalized populations who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. This fact sheet provides best practices for community testing in historically marginalized populations.
- Frontline and essential workers (grocery store clerks, gas station attendants, child care workers, construction sites, processing plants, etc.)
- Health care workers or first responders.
- People who are at higher risk of severe illness.
- People who have attended protests, rallies, or other mass gatherings could have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or could have exposed others.
For COVID-19 testing, contact one of the agencies below.
CommWell Health (1-910-567-7114 or 1-877-WELL-
Robeson Health Care Corporation is testing at the St. Pauls site (910-241-30420), 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
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.
Dr. Teresa (Terri) Duncan, Bladen County Health and Human Services Director, announced there were recent discussions about Bladen County receiving a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines in November for the high-risk population and a larger amount of the vaccines in 2021.
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