Number Of NC COVID-19 Cases Climbs To 7

NORTH CAROLINA — Five new cases of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, have been reported in Wake County, bringing the total number of presumptive positive test results in North Carolina to seven, according to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The five new North Carolina cases announced Monday are all linked to a Biogen biotechnology conference held in Boston in late February that has since been linked to at least 32 cases, according to the Boston Herald.

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Last week, a Wake County man became North Carolina’s first COVID-19 case, after he reportedly visited a long-term care facility at the center of an outbreak in Washington state.

Friday, a Chatham County man who recently returned from a trip to Northern Italy became the state’s second case. The man is in isolation in his home and doing well, according to state health officials, the Charlotte Observer reported.

The man initially experienced mild flu-like systems while traveling to an area of Italy experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak in late February, and flew back to the U.S. after his fever went away, the newspaper said.

SEE ALSO: Coronavirus Outbreak: Tips To Prepare At Home

The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can cause mild to more severe respiratory illness. In a small proportion of patients, COVID-19 can cause death, particularly among those who are older or who have chronic medical conditions.

To lower the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus or spreading COVID-19, NCDHHS encourages the following behaviors:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at a time.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are ill.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
• Do not reuse tissue after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched.

Globally, more than 116,000 people have been infected and at least 4,088 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Tuesday morning. Of that total, more than 80,000 cases have been reported in China, while the entire United States has 761 confirmed cases to date.

It's caused by a member of the coronavirus that's a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses.

COVID-19 can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth, including when someone coughs or sneezes. These droplets may land on objects and surfaces. Other people may contract the virus by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

Symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, cough and shortness of breath. Symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days following exposure. Most people recover from the COVID-19 without needing special treatment. The elderly and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems and diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness, health officials say.

Symptoms are fever, cough, difficulty breathing and pneumonia, resulting in anything from mild respiratory issues to death.

Monitor the latest information on COVID-19 in North Carolina and across the United States:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services

What is the new coronavirus?
The symptoms of the new coronavirus are similar to seasonal influenza, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Both are infectious respiratory illnesses, but they're caused by different viruses.

Both cause fever, cough, body aches and fatigue, and both can result in pneumonia. Both illnesses can sometimes cause vomiting and diarrhea and can be spread from person to person by sneezing, coughing or talking.

Common good-health practices such as frequent hand-washing, covering coughs and staying home from work or school if sick, can help control both illnesses.

Neither respond to antibiotic treatment, but both may be treated by addressing symptoms, such as reducing fever.

There is no vaccine to protect against the new coronavirus as there is against influenza. Scientists around the world are racing to find a vaccine for the new coronavirus, although none currently exists.

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