Iredell Coronavirus Update: 71 Cases, 2 Deaths

MOORESVILLE, NC — There are at least 71 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus and two related deaths in Iredell County, county health officials said Wednesday morning. The development comes as the new coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, surpassed 5,000 cases in North Carolina Tuesday, present in 93 of the state's 100 counties.

As of Tuesday morning, there were 5,024 COVID-19 cases in North Carolina, and 108 related deaths, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported.

In Iredell County, the second COVID-19-related death was announced Tuesday, less than a week following the first fatality. "The individual had underlying health conditions and died from complications associated with the novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19," Iredell County Heath Department said in a statement. "In order to protect the families' privacy, no further information about this individual will be released."

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Iredell County health officials are grouping cases into three regions of the county: North, Central and South.

Here's a breakdown of where cases are emerging as of April 15, according to the Iredell County Department of Health:

North Region (zip codes 27020, 27028, 27055, 28625, 28634, 28636, 28660, 28689 ad 28678)

• 14 cases

Central Region (zip codes 27013, 28166, 28677)

• 13 cases

South Region (zip codes 28036, 28115, 28117, 28125)

• 44 cases

According to county health data, the age group with the most coronavirus cases is 50 to 64 year olds with 37 percent of all Iredell cases, followed by 25 to 49 year olds with 32 percent of the cases and 18 to 24 year olds with 17 percent of cases. Those 65 and older make up 14 percent of patients in Iredell County.

Last week, Iredell County health officials recommended county residents wear cloth face masks in public settings.

"The use of cloth face coverings will not protect you from other people's germs, but it will provide a level of protection to others in case you are infected," ICHD said. "This would be important if someone is infected with COVID-19 but does not have symptoms."

The recommendation does not replace the need to also continue social distancing, proper handwashing and staying home when sick, health officials said.
Here are ICHD's recommendations for face masks:

• They should cover your nose and mouth.
• They can be worn when out in public where you may be near people like grocery stores or pharmacies.
• They are not a substitute for social distancing. People should still keep 6 feet of distance and stay home to the greatest extent possible.
• They can be made from household items with common materials at low cost.
• They should not be used on children under the age of 2, people who have trouble breathing or anyone who would be unable to remove the covering without assistance.
• They should be routinely washed depending on the frequency of use. You can wash the face covering in the washing machine.
• After you remove a cloth covering from your face, you should be careful not to touch your face and wash your hands immediately after removing.

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