RALEIGH, N.C. — Governor Roy Cooper and members of the state's coronavirus task force said Tuesday that someone in North Carolina had tested positive for COVID-19.
He and health officials held a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
The person who tested positive was doing well and was at home in Wake County in isolation.The person had been to Washington state and was exposed to the virus at the long-term care facility where there was an outbreak of COVID-19.
“I know that people are worried about this virus, and I want to assure North Carolinians our state is prepared,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Our task force and state agencies are working closely with local health departments, health care providers and others to quickly identify and respond to cases that might occur.”
Health officials are in touch with the person in Wake County at least twice a day as part of the monitoring that takes place in isolation.
In February, Cooper put together the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Task Force to support the state’s ongoing effort to monitor, prepare for and respond to COVID-19. State actions include:
- Aggressively pursuing containment strategy of rapid identification, testing and contact tracing.
- Engaging in daily collaboration with federal, state and local partners to ensure rapid response.
- Mobilizing resources for our providers, local public health system, local emergency management, and other.
- Developing detailed response plans for multiple sectors for a range of scenarios.
- Developing guidance for planning for multiple sectors for a range of scenarios.
- Preparing healthcare providers and facilities to streamline and standardize response activities.
- Activating a Joint Information Center to provide timely information.
- Testing patients in the NC State Laboratory of Public Health.
- Leading regular calls with local health departments, hospitals and local emergency management.
- Providing guidelines for health care providers, child care, employers, schools, colleges and universities, and others.
- Monitoring residents who have returned from China through local health departments.
- Staffing a COVID-19 phone line to answer urgent questions from the public.
- Maintaining an up-to-date website with information about COVID-19 disease, risk and guidance.
The governor stressed the importance for people to get information about COVID-19 from reputable sources including the Centers for Disease Control and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.