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A worker at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., near Seattle, wears a mask as she leaves the building, Monday, March 2, 2020. Several of the people who have died in Washington state from the COVID-19 coronavirus were tied to the long-term care facility, where dozens of residents were sick. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
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In this Feb. 29, 2020, file photo, a staff member blocks the view as a person is taken by a stretcher to a waiting ambulance from a nursing facility where more than 50 people are sick and being tested for the COVID-19 virus, in Kirkland, Wash. News organizations must walk a fine line in covering coronavirus. They need to convey the story's seriousness without provoking panic and report a flood of news while much remains a mystery. At the same time, they have to remind people who to stay safe and keep their own employees well. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
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A hand sanitizer dispenser is placed just outside the floor of the U.S. Senate chamber after concerns about the coronavirus, Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of N.Y., listen as Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., speaks about the coronavirus during a media availability on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, right, talks with reporters as Washington State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy looks on at left, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, following a private tour of the International Community Health Services Clinic in Seattle's International District. Inslee urged people to wash hands frequently and practice other measures of health hygiene during the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak and told people to stay home from work and public events if they don't feel well or have any symptoms of illness. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
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Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, right, bumps elbows with a worker at the seafood counter of the Uwajimaya Asian Food and Gift Market, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, in Seattle's International District. Inslee said he's doing the elbow bump with people instead of shaking hands to prevent the spread of germs, and that his visit to the store was to encourage people to keep patronizing businesses during the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. Earlier in the day, following a tour at a health clinic, Inslee urged people to wash hands frequently and practice other measures of health hygiene, and to stay home from work and public events if they don't feel well or have any symptoms of illness. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
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Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, left, talks with Washington State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy, right, Tuesday, March 3, 2020, following a private tour of the International Community Health Services Clinic in Seattle's International District. Inslee urged people to wash hands frequently and practice other measures of health hygiene during the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak and told people to stay home from work and public events if they don't feel well or have any symptoms of illness. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
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Trader James lamb works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Tuesday, March 3, 2020. Stocks are falling sharply on Wall Street, erasing a brief early rally, after an emergency interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve failed to wipe out fears that a fast-spreading virus outbreak could lead to a recession. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
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Bruce Aylward, Team Lead WHO-China joint mission on COVID-19, speaks to the media about the COVID-19 after returning from China, during a press conference, at the World Health Organization, WHO, headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Wake County resident has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), says Governor Roy Cooper’s office. State leaders say the person is “doing well” and is in isolation at home.
The patient traveled to Washington state and was exposed at a long-term care facility where there is currently a coronavirus outbreak.
The person was tested by the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health, and the test will be confirmed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lab.
In a news release, Governor Roy Cooper says, “I know that people are worried about this virus, and I want to assure North Carolinians our state is prepared. Our task force and state agencies are working closely with local health departments, health care providers and others to quickly identify and respond to cases that might occur.”
While North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) waits for the test result to be confirmed by the CDC, DHHS will treat “presumptive cases as positive and follow CDC guidelines to protect public health and limit the spread of infection.”
The Governor’s Office also says, “Today’s announcement represents an isolated case, and COVID-19 is currently not widespread in North Carolina. Because COVID-19 is most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, North Carolinians should take the same measures that healthcare providers recommend annually to prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses, including washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, and covering coughs and sneezes.”
In February, Cooper created a coronavirus task force to help the state monitor, prepare for and respond to the virus.
Cooper’s office says the task force is:
- Aggressively pursuing containment strategy of rapid identification, testing and contact tracing.
- Engaging in daily collaboration with federal, state and local partners to ensure rapid response.
- Mobilizing resources for our providers, local public health system, local emergency management, and other.
- Developing detailed response plans for multiple sectors for a range of scenarios.
- Developing guidance for planning for multiple sectors for a range of scenarios.
- Preparing healthcare providers and facilities to streamline and standardize response activities.
- Activating a Joint Information Center to provide timely information.
- Testing patients in the NC State Laboratory of Public Health.
- Leading regular calls with local health departments, hospitals and local emergency management.
- Providing guidelines for health care providers, child care, employers, schools, colleges and universities, and others.
- Monitoring residents who have returned from China through local health departments.
- Staffing a COVID-19 phone line to answer urgent questions from the public.
- Maintaining an up-to-date website with information about COVID-19 disease, risk and guidance.
- It is important to make sure the information you are getting about COVID-19 is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS.
To get more information, and to monitor future positive coronavirus test results, go to:
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus
