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.
APRIL 24, 2020
3:13 p.m. - The Davidson County Health Department has received notification of two Davidson County resident deaths related to COVID-19.
Both individuals passed away today and were residents at Alston Brook Nursing Home in Lexington prior to their death. Both individuals were in their 80s and had underlying health conditions, officials said.
Alston Brook president Linda Howard said one tested positive last night and passed early this morning. The other tested negative with underlying conditions and wasn’t responding to treatment, officials said. The facility sent her to the hospital and asked for the patient to be re-tested a week later, Howard said. After being re-tested in the hospital, the second person tested positive for the coronavirus, according to Alston Brook's president.
Nursing home officials do not know how the coronavirus entered its facility at this time.
The Davidson County Health Department said it will not release the total number of cases at the Alston Brook facility.
2:07 p.m. - North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announces schools will be out for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year and will continue with remote learning. Gov. Cooper also announced a proposed state budget that would include a $1.4 billion relief package.
North Carolina private and parochial schools will be allowed to make their own re-opening decisions, Gov. Cooper said.
The state announced it plans to have a program for students who would "benefit from an early start" once schools reopen, focusing on younger students and students with literacy concerns.
2:00 p.m. - Governor Cooper will hold a press conference alongside state education leaders and the coronavirus task force. He is expected to make an announcement on schools. At this time, North Carolina schools are out through May 15. Students have been remote learning since March 23.
11:54 a.m. - Winston-Salem mayor Allen Joines reacts to community response to the "Mask the City" initiative. Mayor Joines said 5,000 masks sold out at Lowes Foods stores in the area within 45 minutes. The first 60,000 masks are being distributed to numerous nonprofits and faith-based groups to disperse masks in the community, officials said.
Most of Winston-Salem's major employers will be distributing masks to their organizations in the coming days, Mayor Joines said. Next week, the city plans to announce a program for small businesses to gain access to masks at no cost.
“We have been overwhelmed by the community’s response to the 'Mask the City' effort and its desire to starting wearing a mask," Mayor Joines said, "Everyone in the effort is working hard to give everyone in Winston-Salem access to a mask—we ask that folks remain patient and know we are continuing to work to mask our entire community.”
11:00 a.m. - The NCDHHS released the latest coronavirus numbers. North Carolina now has 8,052 cases and 269 deaths. Nearly 500 people are in the hospital fighting the virus.
10:45 a.m. - Wake Forest Baptist Health announced it will furlough some employees starting in May. The medical center said many leaders and administrative personnel will be impacted by the furlough.
7:45 a.m. - Join our live conversation on AFTER GMS. Should North Carolina schools reopen in mid-May or remain closed for the rest of the school year? We could hear a decision today. Plus, we're talking about grocery shopping during this pandemic. Have you tried a delivery service?
Friday news to note:
- Governor Cooper is expected to make an announcement about North Carolina schools today at 2 p.m. He will hold a press briefing with state education leaders and the coronavirus task force. Right now, schools are scheduled to be out through May 15. You can watch the live update in this story.
- North Carolina's stay-at-home deadline has been extended to May 8. Governor Cooper made the announcement in a press conference yesterday. He also unveiled a three-phase reopening plan for the state that would be based on downward-trending coronavirus data.
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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