NC’s First Coronavirus Death Reported In Charlotte Metro

CHARLOTTE, NC — North Carolina’s first resident death related to the outbreak of novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has been reported in Cabarrus County, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday.

As of Wednesday morning, there were at least 512 cases in North Carolina, according to Johns Hopkins University, up from 297 positive cases reported Monday morning.

Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency for the entire state March 10. Since then, public schools throughout the state have been ordered closed through at least May 15, and Cooper has ordered a statewide ban on gatherings of more than 50 people and all dine-in service at restaurants and bars.

The Cabarrus County resident, who was in their late seventies and had several underlying health conditions, died March 24 due to complications from COVID-19, NC DHHS said.

A second person — a Virginia resident in their sixties traveling through North Carolina — also died from COVID-19 complications, health officials said.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement. “This is a stark warning that for some people COVID-19 is a serious illness. All of us must do our part to stop the spread by staying at home as much as possible and practicing social distancing.”

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Cabarrus County public health officials reported their first case of COVID-19 on March 16. As of Wednesday morning, the county had a dozen cases.

Cabarrus County’s neighbor, Mecklenburg County, leads the state in the number of COVID-19 cases, with 142 cases reported as of Wednesday morning, according to Johns Hopkins. Reporting elsewhere in the greater Charlotte metro showed 18 cases in Union County, 11 cases in Iredell County, six cases in Rowan County, four cases in Catawba County, three cases in Gaston County and one case each in Stanly and Lincoln counties.

In an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19, Mecklenburg County has issued a stay-at-home order for all county residents that will go into effect March 26 at 8 a.m.and will likely be in effect at least three weeks.

“This order directs all Mecklenburg County residents to shelter at home and limit movements outside of their homes beyond essential needs,” the City of Charlotte said in making the announcement. “This order is valid through April 16, 2020, but will be regularly reviewed and evaluated and may be revised, amended, or extended accordingly, based upon recommendations by the Mecklenburg County Public Health Director and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management.”

Statewide, NC DHHS is urging residents who are considered high-risk to COVID-19 illness stay in their homes as much as possible. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high risk includes anyone who:

• Is 65 years of age or older
• Lives in a nursing home or long-term care facility
• Has a high-risk condition that includes:
  • 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
  • other underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, such as diabetes, renal failure or liver disease

Globally, nearly 439,000 people have been infected and more than 19,600 people have died from the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins reported Wednesday. Of that total, more than 55,200 confirmed cases are in the United States. At least 809 deaths in the U.S. have been tied to the virus outbreak, as of the morning of March 25.

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