GREENSBORO, N.C. — WFMY News 2 is providing daily coronavirus updates with the latest information from emergency leaders, the state's task force, health departments, universities, school districts, and a lot more.
Wednesday, July 15, 2020
4:45 p.m. - Two COVID-19 deaths reported in Rockingham County.
The patients were in their 60’s-80’s and had several underlying medical conditions.
4:00 p.m. - Governor Roy Cooper introduced the new NCcareers.org site.
It will allow people to explore career and job opportunities during COVID-19 and beyond.
For more information visit, NCCareers
3:56 p.m. - Stokes County Agricultural Fair canceled for 2020.
Fair organizers released the following:
"It is with great regret that we must announce the cancellation of the 2020 Stokes County Agricultural Fair. Our concern is for the health and safety of our community, attendees, exhibitors, vendors, volunteers and all involved with the Stokes County Fair. The Fair Board of Directors, in consultation with local and county officials, has determined that it is impossible to predict when the COVID-19 situation will be resolved to a point where an event like ours can occur."
1:30 p.m. - Cone Health relaxes visitor restrictions. People will again be allowed to visit loved ones cared for at Cone Health facilities. The new guidelines have four phases and some restrictions remain.
All visitors and support people must pass a screening and temperature check before entering Cone Health facilities. All visitors and support people must wear masks, clean hands frequently and engage in social distancing. This includes sitting at marked distances in waiting rooms and other areas.
New Restrictions
Children under 18 years of age may have both parents or legal guardians with them during their hospital stay or visit to the Children’s Emergency Department at Moses Cone Hospital.
Patients undergoing a surgery or procedure in a hospital can bring a person with them. Should the patient need to stay overnight, the support person must leave.
People seeking care in a Cone Health emergency department can have one support person with them. That person can go with the patient to registration and remain with them in the emergency department as care is completed.
One visitor or support person will be allowed to visit an adult staying in a hospital. They may visit only during visitor hours. Visiting hours will be posted on July 27 at conehealth.com/visitation. Visitation will remain restricted for COVID-19 positive patients, with exceptions for patients nearing death.
Noon - NCDHHS released the latest COVID-19 numbers for the state. North Carolina reached yet another hospitalization record at 1,142 and hospitalizations continue to trend slightly upward. None of the Piedmont Triad counties reported new deaths. However, Guilford, Alamance, and Forsyth Counties had significant upticks in new cases.
STATE
- 91,266 LAB-CONFIRMED CASES (UP 1,782)
- 1,284,637 COMPLETED TESTS (UP 26,222)
- 1,568 DEATHS (UP 16)
- 1,142 HOSPITALIZATIONS (UP 33)
PIEDMONT TRIAD COUNTIES
- ALAMANCE – 1,535 CASES (UP 43), 37 DEATHS
- CASWELL – 156 CASES, 2 DEATHS
- CHATHAM – 1,072 CASES (UP 5), 46 DEATHS
- DAVIDSON – 1,296 CASES (UP 19), 16 DEATHS
- DAVIE – 259 CASES (UP 3), 3 DEATHS
- FORSYTH – 3,850 CASES (UP 65), 40 DEATHS
- GUILFORD – 3,840 CASES (UP 80), 128 DEATHS
- MONTGOMERY – 417 CASES (UP 9), 9 DEATHS
- RANDOLPH – 1,580 CASES (UP 37), 33 DEATHS
- ROCKINGHAM – 322 CASES (UP 12), 2 DEATHS
- STOKES – 176 CASES (UP 6), 1 DEATH
- SURRY – 604 CASES (UP 12), 3 DEATHS
- WILKES – 640 CASES (UP 8), 7 DEATHS
- YADKIN – 395 CASES (UP 6), 5 DEATHS
News to note:
Piedmont Triad school districts are coming up with their back-to-school plans after Gov. Cooper announced Tuesday schools could do a mix of in-person and remote learning, with the option to only do remote learning, this fall. We'll bring you updates on school plans right here.
Tuesday, July 14, 2020
8:34 p.m. - Guilford County Schools launches two tuition-free virtual schools. Both schools will have their own principals and teachers, officials said.
7:00 p.m. - ECU suspends all athletic activities. This follows 27 positive tests among student-athletes at the university.
"The health and safety of our student-athletes is our top priority and today’s decision comes in consultation with our medical staff," ECU Athletic Director John Gilbert said.
5:00 p.m. - President Donald Trump and the Coronavirus Task Force provide updates on the country's response to COVID-19.
3:05 p.m. - North Carolina will remain under Phase 2 of the state's reopening plan, Gov. Roy Cooper announced. It is the second delay of reopening in North Carolina.
RELATED: VERIFY: Masks usually don’t affect oxygen, but this is why you might feel breathless or dizzy
3:00 p.m. - Gov. Roy Cooper school reopening announcement. Gov. Cooper announced schools will reopen this fall with in-person and remote learning with key safety precautions to protect students, teachers and parents.
Gov. Cooper put the onus on school districts to choose whether they will choose the 'Plan B' or 'Plan C' reopening plan. Plan C is an all-remote learning scenario, while Plan B baselines as in-person learning with limited numbers of students in schools.
Face coverings will be required for K-12 students and teachers, Gov. Cooper said. The state will provide at least five disposable face masks for every student and teacher for each school.
There will be daily symptoms screenings at schools, Gov. Cooper said. Schools must provide a way to isolate students who show symptoms from other students and send them home.
1:30 p.m. - Wet'n Wild Water Park at Emerald Pointe shuts down for 2020 season. Water park officials had hoped to reopen Wet'n Wild for part of the summer but said 'continued uncertainty surrounding the pandemic in North Carolina' forced them to close.
Noon - NCDHHS released the latest COVID-19 numbers.
North Carolina reached a new record (1,109) for hospitalizations on Tuesday after a dip in numbers the previous day. Sadly, 42 more people died from the virus - the highest number of reported new deaths in a single day. However, it’s important to note that the death rate has been dropping, according to NCDHHS data. It was the fifth-highest day for new cases (1,956). Guilford County saw a significant number of new cases (78) and five more deaths. As of Monday, 11 percent of total tests were positive. The state has been hovering between 8-10 percent positive tests. State health officials want to see the percent of positive cases go down to five percent in order to ease restrictions.
STATE
- 89,484 LAB-CONFIRMED CASES (UP 1,956)
- 1,552 DEATHS (UP 42)
- 1,254,846 COMPLETED TESTS (UP 23,623)
- 1,109 HOSPITALIZATIONS (UP 69) *NEW RECORD* (91% OF HOSPITALS REPORTING DATA)
- 11 PERCENT OF TOTAL TESTS WERE POSITIVE AS OF MONDAY, JULY 13.
PIEDMONT TRIAD COUNTIES
- ALAMANCE – 1,492 CASES (UP 32), 37 DEATHS
- CASWELL – 156 CASES (UP 2), 2 DEATHS
- CHATHAM – 1,067 CASES (UP 6), 46 DEATHS (UP 1)
- DAVIDSON – 1,277 CASES (UP 14), 16 DEATHS (UP 1)
- DAVIE – 256 CASES (UP 3), 3 DEATHS
- FORSYTH – 3,785 CASES (UP 54), 40 DEATHS
- GUILFORD – 3,760 CASES (UP 78), 128 DEATHS (UP 5)
- MONTGOMERY – 408 CASES (UP 6), 9 DEATHS
- RANDOLPH – 1,543 CASES (UP 31), 33 DEATHS (UP 1)
- ROCKINGHAM – 310 CASES (UP 3), 2 DEATHS
- STOKES – 170 CASES (UP 1), 1 DEATH
- SURRY – 592 CASES (UP 10), 3 DEATHS
- WILKES – 632 CASES (UP 4), 7 DEATHS
- YADKIN – 389 CASES (UP 4), 5 DEATHS
10:30 a.m. - Three people test positive for COVID-19 at Wake Forest University. WSU officials said the individuals are doing well and following social distancing guidelines.
10 a.m. - Three Duke University scholars will discuss reopening schools amid the pandemic and how COVID-19 is affecting children.
Duke experts say reopening schools could create chaos for families. They say, kids, teachers, and staff will all likely be exposed to the virus. The current recommendations mean any student with any kind of proximity to an infected classmate will have to quarantine for 14 days. Parents will have to take time off or make arrangements for someone else to watch the child and this could happen multiple times over the school year.
They say school administrators need to keep in mind that poverty rates will likely soar because of the pandemic. Quarantines will likely put even more financial strain on them. Parents are advised to do what they can to prepare and make arrangements in case a child needs to quarantine now.
News to note:
Gov. Roy Cooper will make an announcement on the reopening plan for schools at 3 p.m. We will stream his live briefing in this story.
Cooper also said he will also give an update on his executive order which extended phase two sometime this week. Phase two is set to expire on Friday.
Monday, July 13, 2020
9:30 p.m. - North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper to make an announcement about school reopening plans at a news conference on Tuesday.
6:30 p.m. - Four North Carolina A&T student-athletes test positive for COVID-19 and are in isolation.
5:15 p.m. - Procter & Gamble confirms one employee tested positive for coronavirus at Browns Summit plant.
RELATED: Procter & Gamble confirms one employee tested positive for coronavirus at Browns Summit plant
Noon - North Carolina COVID-19 numbers seemed to level off on Monday, following record-setting numbers for new cases and hospitalizations on Saturday. Hospitalizations went down to 1,040 (down 30) on Monday. However, only 80 percent of hospitals are reporting data. It was the seventh-highest day for new cases (1,827). We reached a new record on Saturday with 2,462 new cases. 10 percent of total tests were positive as of Sunday, July 12. Remember, NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen wants to see that number closer to five percent to ease mitigation tactics.
STATE
- 87,528 CASES (UP 1,827)
- 1,510 DEATHS (UP 7)
- 1,220,486 COMPLETED TESTS (UP 20,899)
- 1,040 HOSPITALIZED (DOWN 30) (80 PERCENT OF HOSPITALS REPORTING)
COUNTY
- ALAMANCE – 1,460 CASES, 37 DEATHS
- CASWELL – 154 CASES, 2 DEATHS
- CHATHAM – 1,061 CASES, 45 DEATHS
- DAVIDSON – 1,263 CASES, 15 DEATHS
- DAVIE – 253 CASES, 3 DEATHS
- FORSYTH – 3,731 CASES, 40 DEATHS
- GUILFORD – 3,682 CASES, 123 DEATHS
- RANDOLPH – 1,512 CASES, 32 DEATHS
- ROCKINGHAM – 307 CASES, 2 DEATHS
- STOKES – 169 CASES, 1 DEATH
- SURRY – 582 CASES, 3 DEATHS
- WILKES – 628 CASES, 7 DEATHS
- YADKIN – 385 CASES, 5 DEATHS
News to note:
Governor Roy Cooper said he will make an announcement this week regarding schools and the executive order that extended Phase 2, which is set to expire on July 17. Cooper's office hasn't said which day the announcements will happen.
Meanwhile, state health leaders remain cautious over a rising trend of new coronavirus cases as well as record-breaking hospitalization numbers. North Carolina broke its record for single-day cases on Saturday with more than 2,400 new cases - over 300 more than the previous record. Hospitalizations hit a new high on Saturday as well at 1,093.
FACTS NOT FEAR
Remember facts, not fear when talking about the coronavirus. You should take the same measures recommended by health leaders to prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses. That means washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, and covering coughs and sneezes.
WHERE YOU GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS IS IMPORTANT
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about the coronavirus is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS. Be careful not to spread misinformation about coronavirus on social media.
NC CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE
The state also has a special hotline set up where you can call 866-462-3821 for more information on the coronavirus. You can also submit questions online at ncpoisoncontrol.org or select chat to talk with someone about the virus.
You can also text keyword VIRUS to WFMY News 2 at 336-379-5775 to find out more information.
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