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Coronavirus in the Carolinas: Cooper tests negative for COVID-19

By WSOCTV.com News Staff
By WSOCTV.com News Staff

CHARLOTTE — Here is a roundup of what’s happening so far today, June 11, surrounding COVID-19 in both North Carolina and South Carolina (Click here to get caught up on yesterday’s coverage). Scroll below for live, local real-time minute-by-minute updates.

>> Have questions about the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the Carolinas? We have an entire section dedicated to coverage of the outbreak -- CLICK HERE FOR MORE.

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[COUNTY-BY-COUNTY COVID-19 RESOURCE GUIDE]

[CORONAVIRUS IN THE CAROLINAS; HERE’S HOW TO STAY INFORMED]

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Live, local updates from Thursday:

Gov. Cooper tests negative for COVID-19

Gov. Roy Cooper had been tested for COVID-19 and he tweeted Thursday that he does not have the virus.

“My COVID-19 test results have come back negative, and I have had no symptoms," he said. "I encourage anyone who has been in a crowd to get tested even if you have no symptoms.”

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COVID-19 reported at Mecklenburg County Detention Center

The Mecklenburg County Detention Center does have a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the detention population.

Statement from the MCSO:

“Additionally, there was also a person who came in positive, they were put into COVID protocol, once the results came back they were already bonded out. The total number of residents is two with one being active. The contact trace analysis has been conducted and the exposure to others has been very minimal. We have residents in and out of various stages of our COVID-19 protocols. Some enter the facility and are placed in the COVID-19 protocol based on responses obtained during the medical screening and others may have COVID like symptoms. Out of an abundance of caution we treat every case as if it’s a potential exposure and respiratory monitor, isolate or quarantine based on the recommendation of our contracted healthcare provider. MCSO is still taking all of the necessary precautions with medical screenings of all persons to include employees entering our facilities, enhanced cleaning and sanitation efforts and emphasis on following the recommended CDC guidelines.”

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NC sees record COVID-19 hospitalizations for 4th day in a row; large increase in cases also reported

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting one of the highest daily increases in reported cases since the beginning of the pandemic.

1,310 cases were reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the state’s total to 39,481. The largest increase ever was last week, on June 6, when 1,370 cases were reported.

The state also saw its second-highest day of tests ever reported. 19,027 tests were completed, well over the goal of 5,000 to 7,000 per day. That brings the total tests completed in the state since the pandemic began to 572,677.

For the fourth day in a row, North Carolina set a record high for the number of people hospitalized due to COVID-19 complications. 812 people are currently hospitalized, an increase of 32 since Wednesday.

Eleven more people have died, bringing the total number of deaths to 1,064.

Mecklenburg County continues to lead the state in both cases and deaths with at least 6,155 and 116 respectively.

Confirmed cases by age:

0-17 (8%)

18-24 (11%)

25-49 (45%)

50-64 (21%)

65-74 (7%)

75 or older (8%)

COVID-19 deaths by age:

25-49 (5%)

50-64 (13%)

65-74 (20%)

75 or older (62%)

Cases by race:

White: 54%

Black: 27%

Cases by gender:

Women: 50%

Men: 50%

(Men account for 53% of deaths)

Cases and deaths in congregate living settings:

There are 101 outbreaks in nursing homes across the state, resulting in 3,850 cases and 559 deaths.

There are 54 outbreaks at residential care facilities across the state, resulting in 991 cases and 83 deaths.

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Judge grants state temporary restraining order against ACE Speedway

An Alamance County Superior Court judge has granted a temporary restraining order to the state, barring ACE Speedway from holding races or other events, pending a follow-up hearing.

There is an “imminent health hazard in our state," judge Tom Lambeth said.

In his ruling, the judge lamented the “contentious” mentality that has developed as state leaders try to balance public health with economic viability. The next hearing will be in the same Alamance County courtroom at 9:30 a.m. June 19. ACE does not have any races on its event schedule until that evening.

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NC House approves bill to waive DMV road tests for teens

The NC House approved a bipartisan bill to temporarily waive the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) road tests to allow teen drivers to receive their level two limited provisional license during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The applicant must still meet all other requirements to obtain the license, which includes passing a driver’s education and at least 60 hours of supervised driving. Furthermore, any driver who receives a waiver must pass a road test to obtain their full level three provisional license in the future.

The waiver does not affect anyone older than 18 and would expire once the DMV resumes the road test.

“I have heard from countless parents and students who are asking for help due to the DMV no longer offering road tests,” said House Majority Leader John Bell. “After talking with officials at the DMV, insurance commissioners and representatives for insurance companies and others, we believe this is the right approach to help those impacted and prevent a growing backlog at the DMV while still requiring driver’s education programs and behind-the-wheel instruction for these students.”

The bill now goes to the NC Senate for further consideration.

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MORE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING RECOMMENDED IN CATAWBA COUNTY

With more community spread happening in Catawba County and across the state, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is now recommending that more people get tested for COVID-19.

On Tuesday, the county marked its highest single-day increase in the number of people diagnosed with COVID-19. On Wednesday, the number of local residents hospitalized reached the highest to date at 12.

Through contact tracing, more than three-fourths of cases in Catawba County can be attributed to community spread or close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

“COVID-19 is actively spreading in the county, and we encourage all residents to continue to take prevention guidelines seriously, not only to protect themselves, but to also protect their families, friends and neighbors,” said Catawba County Health Director Jennifer McCracken. “Because a single infected person can potentially spread the disease to many other people, it is important to follow the three Ws (Wait, Wear, Wash) when you leave home, especially as restrictions are eased.”

  • Wear a cloth face covering if you will be with other people.
  • Wait 6 feet apart. Avoid close contact.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.

Increased testing, including for those without noticeable symptoms, and adherence to control measures like self-isolation and quarantine are important to stopping the spread of COVID-19 across Catawba County.

Diagnostic testing is now recommended for:

  • Anyone with symptoms suggestive of COVID-19.
  • Close contacts of known positive cases, regardless of symptoms.
  • Populations with higher risk of exposure or a higher risk of severe disease if they become infected, if they believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19, whether or not they have symptoms.
  • People who have attended protests, rallies, or other mass gatherings could have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or could have exposed others. Testing should be considered for people who attended such events, particularly if they were in crowds or other situations where they couldn’t practice effective social distancing.

Diagnostic testing is now widely available in Catawba County through primary care providers, urgent cares and is beginning to be offered statewide in some pharmacies. Catawba County Public Health is also offering testing primarily for individuals who are uninsured or who do not have ready access to healthcare elsewhere.

An online tool to help individuals make the decision on whether to get tested is available at https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/about-covid-19/symptoms. The tool helps link individuals with locations that are providing COVID-19 testing.

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Additional Outdoor Dining Areas Permitted for Matthews Restaurants

In response to the three phase reopening of businesses in North Carolina and the limited seating capacity for restaurants in Phase 2, the Town of Matthews has implemented temporary measures to allow for additional outdoor seating areas for food and beverage establishments.

In accordance with a resolution passed by the Matthews Town Board of Commissioners on June 8, 2020, additional outdoor seating may be allowed in one of the following circumstances: in downtown, within the right-of-way with the approval of Town Staff or in private, onsite parking areas, with the approval of a sketch indicating the location of proposed temporary outdoor dining.

Food and beverage establishments are invited to review the guidelines, complete an application, and submit it to the Town of Matthews Planning and Development Department for review.

The guidelines and application are available here.

Businesses must adhere to all current social distancing protocols, CDC recommendations and health department requirements. Visible social distancing guidance shall be displayed both indoors and outdoors.

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1.5 million laid-off workers seek US jobless aid, a 10th straight weekly decline, as more businesses reopen

About 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, evidence that many Americans are still losing their jobs even as the economy appears to be slowly recovering with more businesses partially reopening.

The latest figure from the Labor Department marked the 10th straight weekly decline in applications for jobless aid since they peaked in mid-March when the coronavirus hit hard. Still, the pace of layoffs remains historically high.

The total number of people who are receiving unemployment aid fell slightly, a sign that some people who were laid off when restaurants, retail chains and small businesses suddenly shut down have been recalled to work.

Last week’s jobs report showed that employers added 2.5 million jobs in May, an unexpected increase that suggested that the job market has bottomed out.

But the recovery has begun slowly. Though the unemployment rate unexpectedly declined from 14.7%, it is still a high 13.3%. And even with the May hiring gain, just one in nine jobs that were lost in March and April have returned. Nearly 21 million people are officially classified as unemployed.

But that doesn’t capture the full scope of the damage to the job market. Including those the government said were erroneously categorized as employed in the May jobs report and those who lost jobs but didn’t search for new ones, 32.5 million people are out of work, economists estimate.

Thursday’s report also shows that an additional 706,000 people applied for jobless benefits last week under a new program for self-employed and gig workers that made them eligible for aid for the first time. These figures aren’t adjusted for seasonal variations, so the government doesn’t include them in the official count.

In February, the economy fell into a deep recession, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the association of economists that is the official arbiter of recessions. The Federal Reserve estimated Wednesday that the economy will shrink 6.5% this year. That would be, by far, the deepest annual contraction on records dating to World War II.

Even as restaurants, bars and gyms reopen, they are doing so at lower capacity. And consumer spending on such services remains far below what it was before the viral outbreak.

Unemployment benefits are providing significant support for jobless Americans, with total payments having reached $94 billion in May -- six times the previous record set in 2010 just after the previous recession. This time, the benefits include an additional $600 a week from the federal government.

But that extra benefit is set to end July 31, and the Trump administration opposes extending it. Its opposition has set up a possible clash with House Democrats, who have approved legislation to extend the $600-a-week in federal benefits for an additional six months.

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THURSDAY MORNING STORYLINES

The COVID-19 trends continue to trend up in North Carolina. There’s been an increase of 1,000 or more cases in the state four times in the last week. 1,011 new cases were reported on Wednesday. Hospitalizations (780) hit a high for the fifth time this month. Twenty four more deaths were reported Wednesday to bring the total to 1,053 since mid-March.

The fight to close Ace Speedway is expected to go to court on Thursday. State Health Secretary Mandy Cohen said during a news conference on Wednesday that she expects a hearing. Cohen said the Alamance County speedway has not confirmed it’s complying with an order to close during the pandemic. The state called the speedway an “imminent hazard” for the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The North Carolina House passed a bill that would allow bars and gyms to reopen across the state, with restrictions. Gov. Cooper has previously been critical of similar legislation, and last week vetoed a bill that would allow bars to open for outdoor service only.

Authors of the bill included what they described as a “fail-safe” that would allow Cooper the authority to increase restrictions by executive order with approval from the council of state -- for example, if COVID-19 should spike across the state -- but the governor previously said he is wary of signing legislation to this effect.

The bill now heads to Cooper’s desk. He has 10 days to sign it into law or veto it.

© 2020 Cox Media Group

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