Two COVID-19-Related Deaths Reported Today

Updated 8-24-2020

Caldwell County Health Department confirmed two COVID-19-related deaths today. One patient was between the ages of 65 and 74 and the other patient was over the age of 75. Both patients had been hospitalized and were reported to have underlying conditions.

Fifteen COVID-19 cases were reported to the Health Department since Friday afternoon — six in the 28645 Zip code, seven in 28630, one in 28638, and one in 28601. Two patients are under the age of 17; three patients are between 18 and 24; five are between 25 and 49; three patients are between 50 and 64; and two are between 65 and 74.

Additionally, three COVID-19 outbreaks have been closed by the Caldwell County Health Department. The department closed outbreaks at Brockford Inn Assisted Living, Gateway Rehabilitation and Healthcare, and Shaire Center. For an outbreak to be closed, all patients who test negative must be tested weekly until two consecutive weeks have passed without a new positive test and 28 days have passed since the last confirmed positive case.

NC Department of Health and Human Services has released a screening outline to determine when a student is cleared to return to school after being exposed to or testing positive for COVID-19. Schools are using the following guidelines:

• If a child is exposed (within six feet of someone diagnosed with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or more), the student cannot go to school for 14 days since exposure, or
• If a child tests positive but has no symptoms, the student cannot go to school for 10 days since the first positive COVID-19 test, or
• If a child is experiencing at least one of the following symptoms fever, chills, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, new cough, or new loss of taste or smell, the child cannot go to school until:
  • 10 days since symptoms first appeared, fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine, and symptom improvement if the student tests positive or is symptomatic and has not be been tested
  • No fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medicine and the student has felt well for 24 hours if the student tested negative for COVID-19

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