As of April 16, Alamance County has received notification of 45 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Twenty-seven (27) of those confirmed cases have been released from isolation and 18 cases remain active. Of the remaining active cases, three (3) are receiving care at a hospital.
You continue to be the most important partner we have in reducing the spread of illness. Thank you for your commitment thus far to the Stay at Home order and to the general precautions. Take care of yourselves.
The NC DHHS COVID-19 case count map continues to show an unusually high increase in COVID-19 cases for Alamance County on April 14. This increase is due to several large batches of LabCorp test results from a federal contract with no addresses listed. Because LabCorp is headquartered in Alamance County, when they have positive communicable disease test results with no address listed, the results default to Burlington because of the location of LabCorp and are then reported by default to the Alamance County Health Department.
LabCorp, NC DHHS, and Alamance County Health Department are all working together to remedy this immediate issue and work toward permanent process changes that will reduce the chances of this happening in the future. We are so sorry for any distress that this may cause our community.
Alamance County’s current case count is 41. Twenty-one (21) of these confirmed cases have been released from isolation by the Health Department. Of the remaining 20 active cases, 2 are receiving care in a hospital.
We appreciate the support and commitment you have demonstrated in protecting yourself. Please continue to adhere to the Governor’s Stay at Home order and all other precautions. You are such an important part of stopping the spread of the illness.
On March 21, Alamance County Health Department received notification of their second positive case of COVID-19. The affected individual has been in isolation while tests were pending and will remain in isolation for the duration of illness. The individual is doing well and complying with all control measures set forth by the Health Director. The individual has not traveled outside of North Carolina and has no known contact to a previous case. To protect the individual’s privacy, no further information about them will be released.
The Health Department urges individuals to take the following standard precautions to help protect themselves and others from this respiratory illness: o Wash hands frequently with soap and water, and for at least 20 seconds each time o Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands o Avoid close contact with people who are ill & stay at home if you are sick o Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze o Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose o Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched o Have a plan in case you need to miss work or other responsibilities due to personal illness or to care for a sick family member o People over 65 or who have chronic health conditions or with compromised immune systems are at highest risk of severe illness from the virus, and are advised to avoid large gatherings
The Alamance County Health Department will transition at this time from notification via press release to updating our website and social media with the NC DHHS COVID-19 Case Counts website at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/covid-19-case-count-nc. Alamance County residents are encouraged to use reputable sources of information to learn more about COVID-19 such as the CDC or NC DHHS. Alamance County residents may also contact the Alamance County COVID-19 Call Center at 336-290-3061 for general questions regarding COVID-19, and visit Alamance County Government social media accounts for updates as well.
Amy Scott Galey, Chair of the Alamance Board of Commissioners, declared a local ‘State of Emergency’ for Alamance County effective Friday, March 20, 2020, at 10am. A state of emergency allows the County to coordinate, provide, and request additional emergency supplies and receive mutual aid from the state and federal government.
“With our first confirmed case of COVID-19, it is appropriate to declare a State of Emergency for Alamance County,” Chair Galey said. “The County will be working closely with all the municipalities, community partners, and first responders to coordinate resources and share important information. County staff has been working very hard to be sure that essential services are uninterrupted in order to protect public heath and safety. Residents should continue to take precautions to avoid exposure and spread of the virus.”
While there are no County office closures at this time, residents are encouraged limit person-to-person contact and use online resources and services or call in to conduct county business. For updated COVID-19 Alamance County program or event cancellations or changes, please visit www.alamance-nc.com/covid19/.
The County COVID-19 Call Center is also available Monday through Friday from 8am to 7pm. Residents and organizations are encouraged to call 336-290-0361 for general Coronavirus (COVID-19) questions or information regarding the County’s response. For the most current state and national information or recommendations regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov/coronavirus or the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services website at ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus.
On March 20, Alamance County Health Department received notification of their first positive case of COVID-19. The affected individual is currently in isolation at home and is doing well. The individual has no known travel risk and no known contact to a previous case. To protect the individual’s privacy, no further information about them will be released. Alamance County Health Department is identifying close contacts to the affected individual. A close contact is defined as anyone who was within six feet of the individual for 10 minutes or more.
“We have been preparing and planning for cases in Alamance County. Our public health response team has been in contact with the individual and they are complying with all control measures and orders,” said Health Director Stacie Saunders. “It is likely we will see other confirmed cases in the community. We urge the community to continue to practice social distancing and general precautions in order to protect themselves, their loved ones, and our neighbors.”
Alamance County Health Department is continuing to collaborate with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS), Alamance County Emergency Management, Alamance County leadership, municipal leaders, and other community partners to respond to the situation and prepare for any future potential cases.
The Health Department urges individuals to take the following standard precautions to help protect themselves and others from this respiratory illness: o Practice social distancing by keeping more space between individuals and avoid large gatherings o Wash hands frequently with soap and water, and for at least 20 seconds each time o Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands o Avoid close contact with people who are ill & stay at home if you are sick o Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze o Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose o Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched o Have a plan in case you need to miss work or other responsibilities due to personal illness or to care for a sick family member o People over 65 or who have chronic health conditions or with compromised immune systems are at highest risk of severe illness from the virus, and are advised to avoid large gatherings
Alamance County residents are encouraged to use reputable sources of information to learn more about COVID-19 such as the CDC or NC DHHS. Alamance County residents may also contact the Alamance County COVID-19 Call Center at 336-290-0361 for general questions regarding COVID-19, and visit Alamance County Government social media accounts for updates as well.
March 20, Alamance County Health Department received notification of their first positive case of COVID-19. The affected individual is currently in isolation at home and is doing well. To protect the individual’s privacy, no further information about them will be released. Alamance County Health Department is identifying close contacts to the affected individual. A close contact is defined as anyone who was within six feet of the individual for 10 minutes or more.
“We have been preparing and planning for cases in Alamance County. Our public health response team has been in contact with the individual and they are complying with all control measures and orders,” said Health Director Stacie Saunders. “It is likely we will see other confirmed cases in the community. We urge the community to continue to practice social distancing and general precautions in order to protect themselves, their loved ones, and our neighbors.”
Alamance County Health Department is continuing to collaborate with the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS), Alamance County Emergency Management, Alamance County leadership, municipal leaders, and other community partners to respond to the situation and prepare for any future potential cases.
The Health Department urges individuals to take the following standard precautions to help protect themselves and others from this respiratory illness: o Practice social distancing by keeping more space between individuals and avoid large gatherings o Wash hands frequently with soap and water, and for at least 20 seconds each time o Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands o Avoid close contact with people who are ill & stay at home if you are sick o Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze o Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose o Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched o Have a plan in case you need to miss work or other responsibilities due to personal illness or to care for a sick family member o People over 65 or who have chronic health conditions or with compromised immune systems are at highest risk of severe illness from the virus, and are advised to avoid large gatherings
Alamance County residents are encouraged to use reputable sources of information to learn more about COVID-19 such as the CDC or NC DHHS. Alamance County residents may also contact the Alamance County COVID-19 Call Center at 336-290-0361 for general questions regarding COVID-19, and visit Alamance County Government social media accounts for updates as well.
The Alamance County Health Department received communication from the NC Department of Health and Human Services Nutrition Services Branch on December 20, 2018 that if there is a partial Federal Government Shutdown, the NC WIC Program is funded into February 2019. Correspondence dated December 20, 2018 was also sent to the stores in Alamance County that accept eWIC cards informing them that they should continue transacting eWIC benefits presented by WIC participants until informed otherwise.
The Alamance County WIC office will remain open for business as usual until further notice. Current WIC participants should contact the office if they have any questions.
The WIC (The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program Women, Infants, and Children) program provides supplemental nutrition for women who: are pregnant, have had a baby in the last 6 months, or are breastfeeding and have had a baby in the last 12 months, as well as infants and children up to 5 years of age. To be eligible, the child or mother must: live in the state of North Carolina, live in a household with an income at or below 185% of the Federal poverty income guidelines, and have a nutrition-related problem or be at risk of developing a nutrition-related problem. The women and children that meet the criteria listed above who receive Medicaid or Food and Nutrition Services (SNAP) recipients meet the WIC income eligibility criteria. Alamance County WIC currently serves more than 3,500 participants.
For more information about WIC or to make an appointment please, visit Alamance County WIC located at 319 N. Graham-Hopedale Rd., Burlington, NC, 27217 or call 336-570-6745. The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8am-5pm (until 6pm the first Monday of every month). WIC now offers appointments during lunch hours (12-1pm). Walk-ins are welcome but participants are encouraged to make an appointment ahead of time to reduce wait times. You may also visit the WIC website at www.nutritionnc.com to learn more about WIC.