FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 26, 2021     

Media contact:

DeShay Oliver
Deputy Health Director/Public Information Office
Cleveland County Public Health Center
Office: 980-484-5199
Deshay.oliver@clevelandcountync.gov  

                    First COVID-19 Death in Cleveland County in 7 Weeks
Total deaths in county rise to 229 as all COVID-19 metrics increase

SHELBY, NC – After months of decline, Cleveland County, similar to the state of North Carolina, is experiencing a rapid increase in the spread of COVID-19. On July 26, the Cleveland County Health Department received a report of a death from COVID-19 in a resident under the age of 50. This is the first death from COVID-19 in Cleveland County in seven weeks, bringing the county’s total COVID-19 deaths to 229.

All other county COVID-19 metrics are increasing as well. In the past 14 days, Cleveland County has had a total of 197 COVID cases, averaging approximately 14 new cases a day. In the past 7 days, the county has had a total of 123 new cases, bringing the average of new daily cases up to 18 a day. Yesterday, the county received a total of 30 cases in one day. Last week, NCDHHS updated the state’s County Alert System – Cleveland County was one of twelve counties that moved from yellow to orange, indicating substantial spread of COVID-19 within the community.

Cleveland County’s percent of tests that are positive is currently 10.8% compared to North Carolina’s positivity rate of 6.7%. There are currently ten (10) Cleveland County residents hospitalized from COVID-19.

“Many of these cases, hospitalizations, and deaths could be prevented by getting the COVID-19 vaccine,” said DeShay Oliver, Deputy Health Director, Cleveland County Health Department. “According to NCDHHS, over 94% of recent cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina are in people who are not vaccinated. While a very small percentage of vaccinated individuals in NC have contracted COVID-19, these vaccinated individuals are far less likely to suffer severe illness and death from the virus. People who are not vaccinated are at risk for infection from the more contagious and potentially dangerous Delta variant that now makes up over 80% of all cases in our state.”

NCDHHS urges all unvaccinated North Carolinians age 12 and older to get a COVID-19 vaccine to protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death. Rigorous clinical trials among thousands of people ages 12 and older, have proven vaccines are safe and effective. More than 160 million Americans have now been safely vaccinated. Vaccines are the best protection from COVID-19 related hospitalizations and deaths, as well as complications from the virus.

To date, 38% of Cleveland County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 49% of North Carolinians. To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine appointment with the Cleveland County Health Department, call 980-484-6019. Everyone who receives a first dose COVID-19 vaccine or who drives someone to receive their vaccine at the health department or at a health department sponsored vaccine event will receive a $25 MasterCard through the end of August. Those receiving a first dose vaccine will also be entered into the NCDHHS Summer Cash Drawing for the chance to win $1 million or a $125,000 college scholarship.

The Cleveland County Health Department will be hosting pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinics at the Kings Mountain Family YMCA on Friday, July 30 from 8:30 am – 11:30 am and at Washington Missionary Baptist Church on Saturday, August 14 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm.

The COVID-19 vaccine is available at many healthcare provider offices and pharmacies in Cleveland County. To find other COVID-19 vaccine providers, use the Find a Vaccine Location tool at www.myspot.nc.gov or call 888-675-4567. You can also text your zip code to 438829 to find vaccine locations near you.

COVID-19 VACCINATION UPDATE: WEEK ENDING 7/16/2021
The Cleveland County Health Department is currently scheduling first dose appointments for the Pfizer vaccine for everyone twelve (12) and older. The vaccine is free for everyone regardless of income or insurance. No photo ID is necessary and there are currently no residency restrictions. You may schedule an appointment by calling the COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Line at 980-484-6019 Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Individuals under the age of eighteen (18) must have parental consent to receive the vaccine.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 8, 2021
COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments Available This Wednesday and Friday

 SHELBY, NC – The Cleveland County Health Department currently has 965 first dose COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine appointments available for a clinic scheduled for this Wednesday, March 10^th at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds. Additionally, the Cleveland County Health Department has partnered with Mountain Street Pharmacy to assist in scheduling 90 appointments for a first dose COVID-19 Moderna vaccine clinic scheduled for this Friday, March 12^th at the Central United Methodist Church of Kings Mountain.

In alignment with the NC Vaccine Prioritization Framework, these clinics will be vaccinating eligible individuals in Group 1 (Healthcare and Long Term Care Staff and Residents), Group 2 (65 and older) and Group 3 (Frontline Essential Workers).

To schedule an appointment for this Wednesday at the Cleveland County Fairgrounds or this Friday at Central United Methodist Church of Kings Mountain, eligible individuals may call the Cleveland County Health Department’s COVID Vaccine Appointment Line at 980-484-6019 Monday – Friday between 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.

You may also complete the Cleveland County Health Department’s COVID vaccine registration form available here: https://clevelandcountync.us/forms/view.php?id=11570. A health department representative will call you to schedule your appointment. 

To date, the Cleveland County Health Department has administered over 10,600 first doses of COVID-19 vaccine. We encourage eligible individuals to schedule their spot to take their shot and help stop the spread of this virus.

Updated 03/02/2021
In preparation for the transition to Group 3 (other frontline essential workers), the Cleveland County Public Health Center has developed an online form to allow people to register online. Those interested will be asked to complete an online form. They will then be contacted by the health department about scheduling an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Cleveland County Health Department-Vaccination Registration (clevelandcountync.us)

Updated 02/24/2021
We are excited to announce that the Cleveland County Public Health Center will have 2,070 vaccines available to distribute to our community next week. Because of that, the Cleveland County Public Health Center’s COVID Vaccine Appointment Line (980-484-6019) will be open both Thursday and Friday this week, beginning at 1:00 pm to schedule appointments for next week.

Updated 02/12/2021

Despite working relentlessly with our phone company to resolves our phone issues, our phone lines remain down this afternoon. Because we are unable to take appointments today, we will be opening our COVID Vaccine Appointment Line (980-484-6019) on Monday, February 15th at 9:00 am. The good news is we will have 1,600 vaccine appointments available next week for eligible recipients in Group 2 (ages 65+). The line will remain open until all appointments are filled. We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

Updated 01/29/2021 

Media contact:

DeShay Oliver
Deputy Health Director/Public Information Officer
Cleveland County Public Health Center
Office: 980-484-5199
Deshay.oliver@clevelandcountync.gov  

Kerri Melton
Assistant County Manager
Cleveland County Government
704-484-4816
Kerri.melton@clevelandcountync.gov

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 29, 2021                                        

Cleveland County Government Releases New Plan for Scheduling COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments for Group 2 – Adults 65+

SHELBY, NC – Since vaccine rollout began, vaccine allocation from the State of North Carolina has been extremely unpredictable which has caused Cleveland County Government to have to shift and adjust on an almost daily basis.   This week, counties across North Carolina had a call with North Carolina Secretary of Health and Human Services Mandy Cohen who apologized to counties for not being transparent with the dose allocation disbursement model.  They committed to counties to give dose allocations three weeks in advance.  However, during this call, counties were also told weekly dose allocations across the state will be limited with only 84,000 vaccine doses being shared amongst all approved providers in 100 counties based on population.  

Due to this change, we anticipate Cleveland County only receiving a very limited number of vaccine doses moving forward. As a result, we have made the decision to transition from mailing letters to notify of appointments to scheduling appointments by phone call in an effort to get our limited doses to eligible individuals as quickly and efficiently as possible. 

Effective Friday, January 29, 2021, the Cleveland County Public Health Center’s COVID Vaccine Appointment Line (980-484-6019) will be open every Friday from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm for the clinic(s) that will be held the following week based on our dosage allocation from the state. 

Every call is important to us. Call volumes are incredibly high. If you receive a busy signal, please continue to call back. Once all available appointments are filled for that week, the phone lines will be closed and you will receive an automated message stating all appointments have been filled.

We are only able to schedule as many appointments as our vaccine dosage allocation will allow, as we do not want to schedule appointments and then not have enough vaccine to cover them. We have received reports from a number of counties that had to call thousands of people to cancel their appointments because they did not receive the number of vaccines they hoped to receive.

We have had many people express the desire for us to place them on a waiting list. If we did this, the waiting list would very quickly grow to having thousands of people on it. With our current low weekly dose allocations, it would take us months to work our way through this list.  We are aware that many residents are being vaccinated outside of Cleveland County.  Scheduling weekly appointments based on vaccine dose allocations guarantees that those who sign up will attend the event.  In addition, because many individuals sixty-five (65) and older do not have access to the Internet, making appointments by phone seems to be the most equitable way of scheduling appointments under our current circumstances.

Should the county be re-allocated additional vaccine doses from our partners at Atrium Health, we will also host pop-up clinics.  We expect this to happen on a limited basis; however, please continue to follow the Cleveland County Public Health Center’s and Cleveland County Government’s Facebook page for information about these pop-up clinics.

We encourage residents who have access to transportation to also look for mass vaccination events across the state.  We will be sharing these opportunities on our social media sites as we become aware of them.

Please be patient.  With 19,000 residents 65 and older and weekly dosage allocations of less than 750, this will take time. Cleveland County is committed to ensuring that every dose received is given in a timely manner.


Updated 01/25/2021
COVID-19 Vaccine Registration Opportunity for Group 2 – Adults 65 and Older

Updated 01/22/2021

Cleveland County Government and the Cleveland County Public Health Center hosted a live COVID 19 Vaccination Plan Update. Click the link below to watch.


https://fb.watch/3jQK6raQzr/


Updated 01/11/2019

Updated 01/06/2021

Cleveland County Government Shares Updated Rollout Plan for COVID-19 Vaccinations

SHELBY, NC – The Cleveland County Health Department today announces it has updated its vaccination plan to align with a new North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) prioritization framework issued last week. The State’s framework is the guiding document used by local health departments to determine citizen vaccination eligibility and timing. Because vaccine supplies are currently limited, the vaccine distribution is being rolled out in phases. According to NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, limited supplies mean that it is going to be several months before vaccines will be widely available to everyone.

At their December 15 meeting, the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners was presented with a vaccination plan, which included use of the Moderna vaccine. Following approval of that plan, the County immediately began implementing phase 1A ― which is dedicated to healthcare providers, senior living facilities, and first responders. To date, the Health Department has been allotted a total of 1,100 vaccine doses from the NCDHHS. According to Cleveland County Health Director Tiffany Hanson, the County has been conducting two (2) vaccine clinics per week and will have allocated all 1,100 doses that will conclude Phase 1A by January 8.

Under the updated framework, Phase 1B is now adjusted to focus on prioritizing residents’ age versus those with chronic conditions. In Phase 1B, the vaccine will be made available first to Group 1, which are adults 75 years or older regardless of medical condition or living situation. The County will be vaccinating a limited number of group 1 the week of January 11.  All available doses have been allocated through calls to the COVID helpline.  

The timing of Phase 1B, Group 1’s (> 75) mass vaccination rollout is primarily dependent on the weekly dosage allocation received from NCDHHS. There are approximately 8,000 residents in Cleveland County that qualify for Phase 1B, Group 1, and the County is preparing to begin a Point of Distribution (POD) regional mass vaccination drive through plan the week of January 18.

“The mass vaccination plan remains fluid, with many unknown variables including citizen engagement rate, vaccine dose availability, and any other changes that may be communicated from the CDC or NCDHHS as we move forward,” Cleveland County Health Director Tiffany Hansen said.

Based on a vaccine efficiency impact analysis, migration patterns, and general logistics, there will be up to four (4) POD locations – with only one being utilized at a time:

1.      Burns Middle School

2.      Kings Mountain Intermediate School

3.      Crest High School

4.      The LeGrand Center

County officials believe that there is capacity to hold three (3) mass drive through vaccination clinics per week. The LeGrand Center would be a standing site that is used weekly, and the other school sites will be utilized on Wednesdays and Saturdays on a rotating basis.

For the initial rollout of Phase 1B, the County has compartmentalized residents based on age, demographics, and physical address into geographic regions of the County. The county receives vaccine dosages on a weekly basis. Once the Health Department confirms adequate vaccine inventory for that week, that number of Phase 1B, Group 1 members will receive a letter in the mail confirming their eligibility and their personal designated vaccination site and timing – which could begin as early as January 18, 2021.  The mailed letters will discuss registration requirements, daily drive through logistics, and call-in information for scheduling conflicts.

Instructions regarding the second dose appointment will be provided when they receive their first dose.

As more vaccines become available, guidance for the following Phase 1B groups will be released:

●      Group 2: Health care and frontline essential workers who are 50 years of age or older.

●      Group 3: Frontline workers of any age and health care workers of any age, regardless of whether they work directly with COVID-19 patients.

Below is a summary of the vaccination phases per NCDHHS:

Phase 1A (current phase): Health care workers working closely with COVID-19; long-term care staff and residents.

• Hospitals and local health departments are vaccinating health care workers caring for and working directly with patients with COVID-19 and those giving vaccines. In addition, the federal government is vaccinating long-term care residents and staff.

Phase 1B: Adults 75 years or older; frontline essential workers. 

• Group 1: Anyone at least 75 years old regardless of medical condition or living situation. People do not have to have a chronic health condition. 
• Group 2: Health care and frontline essential workers who are 50 years of age or older.
• Group 3: Frontline workers of any age and health care workers of any age, regardless of whether they work directly with COVID-19 patients. This phase is anticipated to begin in early January.

The CDC defines frontline essential workers as first responders (firefighters, police), education (child care, teachers, support staff), manufacturing, corrections officers, public transit, grocery store, food and agriculture, and United States Postal Service employees.

Phase 2: Adults at high risk for exposure and at increased risk of severe illness. 

• Group 1: Anyone ages 65-74 years old, regardless of medical condition or living situation. 
• Group 2: Anyone 16-64 years with a medical condition that increases risk of severe disease from COVID-19.
• Group 3: Anyone who is incarcerated or living in other close group living settings who has not already been vaccinated. 
• Group 4: Essential workers, as defined by the CDC, who have not yet been vaccinated.

Phase 3: Students.

• College, university, and high school students at least 16 years old.
• Children under 16 will only be vaccinated when the vaccine is approved for them.

Phase 4: Anyone else who wants a COVID-19 vaccine.

All vaccine providers are expected to ensure that vaccine is administered equitably within each group.

UPDATE: April 15, 2020

Cleveland County Reports First Death Related to COVID-19

SHELBY, NC – The Cleveland County Health Department is reporting the first death associated with COVID-19 in Cleveland County.

The individual died over the weekend. The patient was over the age of 70 and had underlying health conditions. To protect the family’s privacy, no further information about this patient will be released.

“I am deeply saddened that we have lost one of our own community members, and my heart goes out to the individual’s family,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director DeShay Oliver said. “I was hopeful that this day would not come, but I also knew that it was a possibility. This shows the reality of how serious this virus can be for those who are at highest risk for severe symptoms.

”As a reminder, people can reduce the virus’s impact by practicing social distancing, frequently washing hands, and self-isolating if they experience symptoms associated with COVID-19

“The actions we take now will determine how this virus will impact our community in the weeks and months to come,” Oliver added. “We have the power to save lives. Please continue to take this virus seriously.”

To stay up to date on the COVID-19 case count in Cleveland County, please visit www.clevelandcounty.com/cchd. 

To stay up to date on COVID-19 across North Carolina, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus or text COVIDNC to 898211. Call 2-1-1 (or 888-892-1162) for general questions or for help finding human services resources in your community.

UPDATE: April 9, 2020  5:45 pm

COVID-19 Testing in Cleveland County Has Resulted in 29 Positives and Hundreds of Negatives  

SHELBY, NC – As of this release, there have been 29 positive tests and almost 300 negative tests for COVID-19 in Cleveland County. Of the 29 positive cases in the county, seven have completed their required isolation period and have fully recovered. 

“While we consistently focus on the number of positive cases in the county, I think it is important to take a step back and also recognize that we have had hundreds of negative tests in the county,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director Deshay Oliver said. “This shows how hard our community’s public health and healthcare professionals are working to identify and control the spread of the virus, as well as how seriously our community has taken social distancing measures.”

Despite this work, there are still those that are suffering the negative consequences of contracting the virus. Since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the county, a total of seven county residents have been hospitalized. 

“Unfortunately, approximately 24 percent of the confirmed cases in Cleveland County have been hospitalized at some point due to complications from the virus,” Oliver added. All of these individuals, with the exception of one, were considered to be at high risk for more severe symptoms due to age or underlying health conditions. This is why it so critically important that everyone does their part to prevent the spread of coronavirus – to protect those that are most vulnerable.”

According to the CDC, approximately 80 percent of COVID-19 cases are considered to be mild, 15 percent severe, and 5 percent critical. 

“The percentage of confirmed cases in Cleveland County experiencing more severe symptoms is slightly higher than the national average, likely due to the fact that testing criteria from the NC Department of Health and Human Services prioritizes testing for those with more severe symptoms and in high risk categories,” Oliver said. 

Cleveland County now has its first confirmed outbreak in a nursing home facility, though no residents have tested positive at this time. The North Carolina Department of Health Human Services defines an outbreak in a congregate living setting as two or more laboratory confirmed cases in residents or staff within two incubation periods (28 days) in the same facility. At this time, the confirmed cases have been limited to the facility’s employees.

 “Cleveland County Health Department personnel, in collaboration with State epidemiologists, are working with the nursing home to ensure they have effective processes and procedures in place related to visitor restrictions, temperature screenings, use of personal protective equipment, cleaning and disinfection, and isolation, Oliver said. “The nursing home facility has been very cooperative and is doing everything they can to help prevent the further spread of the virus.”

In a recent article, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that they now know that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms and that even those who eventually develop symptoms can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. 

 “This is one of the reasons it is so critically important for people to stay home as much as possible,” Oliver added. “With Easter weekend approaching, I recognize that there is a desire to get together with family and friends and celebrate the way we traditionally would. However, I urge people to continue to take heed of the Governor’s orders in an effort to hasten the day that this will all be behind us.”

 To stay up to date on the COVID-19 case count in Cleveland County, please visit www.clevelandcounty.com/cchd.

To stay up to date on COVID-19 across North Carolina, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus or text COVIDNC to 898211. Call 2-1-1 (or 888-892-1162) for general questions or for help finding human services resources in your community.

PDATE: April 4, 2020  6:30 pm 

Cleveland County COVID-19 Case Count Increases to Sixteen

County Adds Virus Map to Health Department Website 

SHELBY, NC – As of this release, there are sixteen cases of COVID-19 in Cleveland County. Cleveland County Health Department personnel continue to work with all confirmed cases to provide isolation guidance and to conduct contact tracing. The information available on the Health Department website now also includes a map showing the concentration of cases in different parts of the County.  The map will be updated by 10:00am each day. 

“Cleveland County Commissioners and county staff have been asked for more information regarding the location of positive cases within the county,” Assistant County Manager Kerri Melton said. “We have worked in collaboration with the Health Department to provide additional resources to the public while not exposing any protected health information.”  The map is divided the County into four regions and shows the number of cases in each region. 

“The main goal of the map is to reinforce the fact that this virus is not confined to one part of our community,” Assistant County Manager Kerri Melton said. “When people travel anywhere within the County, they should take precautions as if they may be exposed to COVID-19, as contact with the virus is possible anywhere.”

While the virus is continuing to spread, Health Department personnel are still working with those involved in confirmed cases to trace their contacts, with the goal of slowing the virus’s spread. Contact tracing begins with interviewing each person confirmed to have COVID-19 to determine anyone they have had close contact with since symptom onset. Health department personnel then contact all individuals identified as close contacts to notify them of their potential exposure and  to provide isolation and self-monitoring guidance. If it is determined that a confirmed case could have potentially exposed employees or customers at a place of business or employment, health department personnel also consult with those businesses to provide disinfection guidance and isolation recommendations for those potentially exposed. 

“Contact tracing is a very important part of the Health Department’s efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community, as it can help to identify those at an increased risk of exposure,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director Deshay Oliver said. “However, the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our county likely only represent a small snapshot of the cases that actually exist. Approximately half of the confirmed cases in our county have contracted the virus from what appears to be community transmission.”

Based on guidance from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, testing is being prioritized for those with more severe symptoms, high risk populations, including those in congregate living facilities, and first responders and healthcare workers. 

“Because of this, there could be many people with mild symptoms that are never tested and confirmed as cases,” Oliver added. “As a result, people should assume COVID-19 exists anywhere they go and take proper precautions such as social distancing, handwashing, avoiding touching their face, and only going out when absolutely necessary.”

To stay up to date on the COVID-19 case count in Cleveland County, please visit www.clevelandcounty.com/cchd.

To stay up to date on COVID-19 across North Carolina, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus or text COVIDNC to 898211. Call 2-1-1 (or 888-892-1162) for general questions or for help finding human services resources in your community.

UPDATE: March 31, 2020  8:00 pm

People with Mild Symptoms Should Stay Home
Seeking Test Risks Spreading COVID-19 to Others, and Positive Test
Changes Nothing for Mildly Symptomatic Individuals

 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now recommends that people who think they might have COVID-19 and have mild symptoms should stay home and call their doctor for medical advice. Most people who get COVID-19 will have mild illness and recover at home.

“It is critically important that people with mild symptoms stay home,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director Deshay Oliver said. “This will prevent them from spreading COVID-19 to others, particularly those who are at high risk for severe illness. Staying home could save someone’s life.”

This updated guidance is intended to slow the spread of the virus. When people with mild illness who do not have COVID-19 leave their homes to get tested, they could unintentionally end up exposing themselves to the virus. If people with mild symptoms do have COVID-19, they can give it to someone else, including high-risk individuals and healthcare providers. Further, because there is no treatment for COVID-19, a positive test result will not change what someone with mild symptoms should do, which includes staying home and isolating for a minimum of seven days since symptom onset and a minimum of 72 hours (three days) after fever and other symptoms have subsided.

Finally, with a nationwide shortage on personal protective equipment, supplies need to be preserved to allow health care providers to care for people who need medical attention. Testing is most important for people who are seriously ill, in the hospital, people in high-risk settings like nursing homes or long-term care facilities, health care workers and other first responders who are caring for those with COVID-19. For most people, COVID-19 infection will cause mild illness that does not require medical care. However, it can make some people very ill and, in some people, it can be fatal.

Eight-one percent of COVID-19 cases in North Carolina to date are in individuals under the age of 65, and 11 percent of these cases are in individuals under the age of 25. Of the six current COVID-19 cases in Cleveland County, two are in the 18 to 24 age category, one is 25 to 49, one is 50 to 64, and two are over the age of 65.

“The idea that this virus only effects those over the age of 65 is a misconception,” Oliver added. “While those over the age of 65 and those with underlying health conditions are at an increased risk of having severe symptoms, anyone can contract coronavirus and spread it to others. I encourage everyone to do their part to protect our community by staying home as much as possible. The more people adhere to recommendations, the sooner this will pass and the sooner everyone can return to their normal lives.”

Anyone with more serious symptoms should call their doctor or 911 right away. More serious symptoms can include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, confusion, and blue lips. Household members and people who have been in close contact with someone who has had symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home as much as possible for 14 days and monitor themselves for symptoms. Close contact means within six feet for at least 10 minutes. If they start having symptoms of COVID-19, they should take the same steps to prevent spreading it. 
 
To stay up to date on COVID-19 in North Carolina, visit ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus or text COVIDNC to 898211. Call 2-1-1 (or 888-892-1162) for general questions or for help finding human services resources in your community. For current case counts of COVID-19 in Cleveland County, visit https://clevelandcounty.com/cchd/corona-virus-information/.

UPDATE: March 29, 2020   1:00 pm

Cleveland County Identifies Fifth Case of COVID-19

 A fifth Cleveland County resident has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The person involved in this case did not recently travel or have direct contact with a person confirmed to have COVID-19, indicating community transmission. Local health department personnel are working with the individual to identify close contacts.  

 “This is the second case of COVID-19 in the county that appears to be caused by community transmission,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director Deshay Oliver said. “This confirms that COVID-19 is now spreading throughout our community. I strongly urge county residents to comply with the Stay-at-Home Executive Order that goes into effect Monday at 5:00 p.m. Residents should only leave their homes for essential services and, when doing so, should take proper precautions such as social distancing and hand washing.”

Because there is now community transmission of COVID-19 in Cleveland County, it can be expected that the county’s case count will continue to rise. Moving forward, instead of publishing a press release for each new case, the Cleveland County Health Department will maintain in real time the county’s current number of COVID-19 cases at https://clevelandcounty.com/cchd/corona-virus-information/. This will allow the Health Department to keep the public up to date with the most accurate information available. In addition, the Health Department will continue to provide updates and pertinent information through local news outlets, social media, and press releases when appropriate.

 To stay up to date on COVID-19 in North Carolina, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus or text COVIDNC to 898211. Call 2-1-1 (or 888-892-1162) for general questions or for help finding human services resources in your community.

UPDATE: March 28, 2020    7:00 pm

Cleveland County Identifies Fourth Case of COVID-19

 A fourth Cleveland County resident has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The person works in a nearby county that is experiencing widespread community transmission, which could be how the virus was contracted. The individual is isolating at home and will remain in isolation until discontinued by local health department personnel, who are also working with the individual to identify close contacts.  

 “This individual experienced mild symptoms for over two weeks before being tested for COVID-19,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director Deshay Oliver said. “This emphasizes the importance of staying home and isolating when you are sick, even if symptoms are mild. This is extremely important to prevent spreading the virus to others and to protect our high-risk populations. While you may be experiencing mild symptoms, someone else who gets it may not be so fortunate, especially if they are age 65 or older or have underlying health conditions.”

 If you have fever, cough, or other symptoms of respiratory illness, even if it is not from COVID-19, you should isolate yourself as if you do have COVID-19. This will reduce the risk of making the people around you sick. Call your doctor if your symptoms are getting worse or if you have concerns about your health. Anyone in your household, or others who have been in close contact with you, should stay home for fourteen (14) days as much as possible and monitor themselves for symptoms. If they start having symptoms of COVID-19, they should take the same steps to prevent spreading it.

 To stay up to date on COVID-19 in North Carolina, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus or text COVIDNC to 898211. Call 2-1-1 (or 888-892-1162) for general questions or for help finding human services resources in your community.

UPDATE: March 27, 2020

Cleveland County Identifies Third Case of COVID-19

 A third Cleveland County resident has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The person involved in this third case did not recently travel or have direct contact with a person confirmed to have COVID-19. The individual is isolating at home and will remain in isolation until discontinued by local health department personnel, who are also working with the individual to identify close contacts.  

 “This case is the first confirmation of community transmission of COVID-19 within Cleveland County,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director Deshay Oliver said. “As a result, I am strongly in support of the Stay-at-Home Executive order announced just moments ago.  I recommend that residents stay home as much as possible and only go out when it is absolutely necessary.”

 If you have fever, cough, or other symptoms of respiratory illness, even if it is not from COVID-19, you should isolate yourself as if you do have COVID-19. This will reduce the risk of making the people around you sick. Call your doctor if your symptoms are getting worse or if you have concerns about your health. Anyone in your household, or others who have been in close contact with you, should stay home for fourteen (14) days as much as possible and monitor themselves for symptoms. If they start having symptoms of COVID-19, they should take the same steps to prevent spreading it.

 To stay up to date on COVID-19 in North Carolina, visit www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus or text COVIDNC to 898211. Call 2-1-1 (or 888-892-1162) for general questions or for help finding human services resources in your community.

 For more information regarding the Stay-at-Home Executive order, visit https://files.nc.gov/governor/documents/files/EO121-Stay-at-Home-Order-3.pdf

UPDATE: March 25, 2020

Cleveland County Identifies Second Case of COVID-19

 A second Cleveland County resident has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This second case is in no way linked to the first case, although this individual also did recently travel and then return to the county. The individual began to develop symptoms shortly after returning to the county and was tested by a local healthcare provider. The individual is isolating at home and will remain in isolation until discontinued by local health department personnel, who are also working with the individual to identify close contacts.  

“This is the second case of COVID-19 in Cleveland County related to non-essential travel,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director Deshay Oliver said. “This once again stresses the importance of staying home as much as possible and practicing social distancing. Everyone this individual had close contact with during the time the individual was contagious is now at risk of exposure.” 

While there is not currently an indication of community transmission of COVID-19 in Cleveland County, the NC Division of Public Health (NC DPH) shared that there is community transmission of COVID-19 across our state. North Carolina is now considered to be in an “exponential growth phase” and can expect to experience widespread transmission throughout the state. Therefore, NC DPH recommends moving to a different phase of our response efforts and will be further increasing our state’s population-based community mitigation strategies. Part of this strategy includes new COVID-19 testing guidance that recommends reserving testing for people who are seriously ill or in the hospital, people in high-risk settings like nursing homes or long-term care facilities, and healthcare workers and other first responders who are caring for those with COVID-19.

Most people who get COVID-19 will recover without needing medical care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you stay home and isolate if you have mild symptoms – such as fever and cough without shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. You can call your doctor to see if you need medical care. Some people are at higher risk of getting very sick with COVID-19. People at higher risk should call their doctor if they develop symptoms of fever or cough. You are at higher risk if you: 

• Are 65 years and older;
• Live in a nursing home or long-term care facility;
• Have a high-risk condition, including:
  • Chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma,
  • Heart disease with complications,
  • Compromised immune system,
  • Severe obesity — body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher, or
  • Other underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, such as diabetes, renal failure or liver disease; or
  • Are pregnant, in which case you should be monitored since pregnant women are known to be at risk for severe viral illness. However, to date, data on COVID-19 has not shown increased risk for severe illness in pregnant women.

If you have fever, cough, and other symptoms of respiratory illness, even if it is not from COVID-19, you should isolate yourself as if you do have COVID-19. This will reduce the risk of making the people around you sick. Call your doctor if your symptoms are getting worse or if you have concerns about your health. Anyone in your household, or others who have been in close contact with you, should stay home for fourteen (14) days as much as possible and monitor themselves for symptoms. If they start having symptoms of COVID-19, they should take the same steps to prevent spread.

For the most current information on COVID-19, people are encouraged to visit: https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/cd/diseases/COVID19.html or https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html, or they may call the NC COVID-19 Call Center 24/7 at 866-462-3821.

UPDATE: March 24, 2020

Cleveland County Resident Confirmed to Have COVID-19 While Vacationing at Beach

A Cleveland County resident has tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19) while on vacation in Brunswick County. The individual arrived at the beach on March 16 and became symptomatic while there. The individual went to a healthcare provider in Brunswick County and tested positive. The individual will remain in Brunswick County until the required isolation period is over. Because the individual is a county resident, Cleveland County Health Department personnel will remotely monitor the individual’s temperature and other symptoms daily and have begun contact tracing for the individual. Anyone that is determined to be a close contact of the individual since symptom onset will be notified and asked to self-isolate for 14 days. The individual traveled with a companion that will serve as the individual’s primary caregiver during the isolation period. This companion will be expected to self-monitor for symptoms during this time and self-isolate for a period of 14 days beyond the positive individual’s isolation period to ensure that symptoms do not develop.

 “This situation reinforces the importance of staying home and not participating in non-essential travel during this time,” Interim Cleveland County Health Director Deshay Oliver said. “Everyone has a role to play. If we all stay home as much as possible and practice social distancing, frequent handwashing, and follow other recommendation set forth, we can flatten the curve and hopefully prevent this from becoming widespread within our community. Everyone needs to do their part.”

 If you have fever, cough, or other symptoms of respiratory illness, even if not from COVID-19, you should isolate yourself as if you have COVID-19. This will reduce the risk of making the people around you sick. If symptoms worsen or you become concerned about your health, call your healthcare provider. Your doctor can help you decide if you need to be tested for COVID-19. Anyone in your household or others who have been in close contact with you should, as

much as possible, stay home for 14 days and monitor themselves for symptoms. Close contact means being within six feet of another person for at least 10 minutes. Anyone who starts having symptoms of COVID-19 should take the same steps to prevent spreading it.

 For the most current information on COVID-19, individuals are encouraged to visit: https://epi.dph.ncdhhs.gov/cd/diseases/COVID19.html or https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html or you may call the NC COVID-19 Call Center 24/7 at 866-462-3821.

Announced Case of COVID-19 in Cleveland County is Resident of another County

 SHELBY, NC – March 20, 2020 – It has been determined that the confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cleveland County that was announced earlier today is actually a resident of another county. The individual provided a Cleveland County address when the individual’s COVID-19 sample was collected for testing at the patient’s healthcare provider’s office. Therefore, the positive result was reported to the Cleveland County Health Department and a Cleveland County address was documented. However, after further investigation and follow-up conversations with the patient, it has been determined that the individual does not live at the original address provided and is a resident of another county. Therefore, Cleveland County does not currently have a confirmed case of COVID-19.

 The local health department in the individual’s county of residency has been notified and they are conducting appropriate follow-up in regards to ensuring home isolation and contact tracing.

 “We encourage people to take the same precautions they would take if we did have a confirmed case in our county, including staying home as much as possible, especially when sick; practicing social distancing; washing hands frequently; avoiding contact with people who are sick; and covering their mouth when sneezing or coughing, says, DeShay Oliver, Interim Health Director, Cleveland County Health Department. “While this particular individual ended up not being a resident of Cleveland County, it is likely that we will have confirmed cases in the county as testing capabilities increase and we see increased spread across the state of North Carolina.”

 The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced today that based on the increased number of cases in our state and on national and regional trends, they believe that community transmission of COVID-19 is now occurring in communities across North Carolina.

 If you are sick with fever and symptoms of respiratory illness such as cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, you are encouraged to stay home and contact your healthcare provider if symptoms persist or worsen. If you have a fever or symptoms of respiratory illness and have had direct contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or have recently traveled, stay home, isolate yourself from others, and contact your healthcare provider immediately.  

 For the most current information on COVID-19, individuals are encouraged to visit: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina or https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html or you may call the NC COVID-19 (coronavirus) Call Center 866-462-3821.

###