Governor Cooper is calling an outbreak at an Orange County nursing home a hotspot for coronavirus cases. He says, 60 people there have tested positive. Of those, seven have been hospitalized, and two people have died.
It's been 30 days since the State's Emergency Management Operation Center was first activated to combat the coronavirus. Leaders have been wary of outbreaks, especially inside assisted living facilities.
As cases of coronavirus continue to spike, the state is now reporting the number of outbreaks in places where many people live together. Think anything from jails and prisons to assisted living facilities or nursing homes.
"A series of tests for COVID-19 have revealed at least 60 positive cases in a skilled nursing facility in Orange County, with more likely to come," Governor Cooper said in a press conference Wednesday.
These types of facilities already had to limit visits and monitor residents, but the state is now taking it a step further.
"We will require all nursing home staff to wear masks while interacting with patients to prevent the inadvertent spread of disease," said Dr. Mandy Cohen, the Secretary of the State's Department of Health and Human Services.
Also required: the shutdown of communal spaces, a daily screening for coronavirus symptoms, and notification to the local health department should a resident or staff member test positive.
Local facilities are taking a proactive approach.
Abbotswood at Irving Park, a senior living community in Greensboro, reports it's "continuing to monitor the ever-changing coronavirus." A spokesperson says, they already monitor symptoms daily and require workers to wear masks, plus they've increased disinfecting in busy areas.
If there is an outbreak at one of these facilities, the state's plan: to group together residents who test positive, only to be treated by certain staff.
