One Outbreak and 33 COVID-19 Cases Reported Today

Updated 7-21-2020

Today, Caldwell County confirmed an outbreak at the Shaire Center. The facility has had two employees test positive for COVID-19, which meets the state’s standard for an outbreak.

Shaire has tested all of their residents and staff and is working closely with the Caldwell County Health Department to stop the spread of the virus in their facilities.

“Unfortunately, we learned today that a second member of our staff has tested positive for the virus. This staff member is in self-quarantine and will continue to stay at home in quarantine until medically cleared to return to work,” said Jason Haire, administrator at Shaire Center. “We are pleased that no residents have tested positive.”

Thirty-three COVID-19 cases have been reported today — 19 in the 28645 Zip code, two in the 28630, 12 in 28638, and one in the 28601. Twelve patients are under the age of 17; five patients are between 18 and 24; 10 are between 25 and 49; four are between 50 and 64; and two are between 65 and 74.

Twenty of Caldwell County’s COVID-19 patients are currently hospitalized across the state. Nine patients are at Caldwell UNC Health Care. The remaining patients are at Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge Morganton (Grace), Duke University Hospital, Frye Regional Medical Center, UNC Medical Center, and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided updated guidance on when patients can be released from isolation. According to the guidance:

• Isolation can generally be discontinued 10 days after symptom onset and resolution of fever for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medications, and with improvement of other symptoms (removes 72 hour criteria).
• Requiring negative tests (test-based strategy) is no longer recommended to discontinue isolation except in very specific circumstances in consultation with infectious diseases experts.
• For persons previously diagnosed with symptomatic COVID-19 who remain asymptomatic after recovery, retesting is not recommended within three months after the date of symptom onset for the initial COVID-19 infection, and quarantine is not recommended in the event of close contact with an infected person.

For information about Coronavirus, visit www.caldwellcountync.org/coronavirus-covid-19 or call the Caldwell County Health Department Health Information Line at 828-426-8456 or the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 828-426-8605. For statistical information, visit www.caldwellcountync.org/coronavirus-covid-19/dashboard.

See the Shaire Center Center full release.