COVID-19 Outbreak Confirmed In Huntersville Nursing Home

HUNTERSVILLE, NC — At least 227 lab-confirmed cases of novel coronavirus were reported in Huntersville Wednesday, as the community spread of COVID-19 now includes a new nursing home in town, according to state public health officials.

The news comes as Mecklenburg County reported an increase in hospitalizations for coronavirus-related illnesses. As of Wednesday, 11,534 county residents had tested positive for COVID-19, and at least 147 residents had lost their lives to the virus, according to state public health data.

A COVID-19 outbreak was confirmed at Olde Knox Commons at The Villages of Mecklenburg, which is located at 13825 Hunton Lane in Huntersville, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said. According to DHHS, two members of staff at the nursing home have tested positive for coronavirus.

The Huntersville facility is one of 15 nursing homes in Mecklenburg County reporting an outbreak.

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According to Mecklenburg County Public Health, outbreaks in long term care facilities represent about six percent of the county's COVID-19 cases overall, but have been responsible for at least 59 percent of the county's deaths.

As of July 1, North Carolina confirmed 1,843 new COVID-19 cases, increasing the state's tally to more than 66,000 cases. More than 16 percent of the state's cases stem from spread in Mecklenburg County, which has been the hardest hit of North Carolina's 100 counties.

Globally, more than 10.5 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and more than 512,000 people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Wednesday. In the United States, more than 2.6 million people have been infected and more than 127,000 people have died from COVID-19.

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