Community testing set
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Covid testing
The number of active positive COVID-19 cases in Macon County has jumped to 81 as of June 1, according Macon County Public Health.
At a May 29 press conference in Franklin, health and government officials said a new “cluster” had been identified at Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, following a cluster identified last week at Evangelical Ebenezer Episcopal Church in Franklin.
A cluster is defined as at least five individual, connected positive cases identified within a 14-day period.
Macon County Emergency Management will be hosting a targeted COVID-19 testing clinic in Highlands on June 4 for residents who believe they may have been exposed to the coronavirus.
The clinic will be held at The Farm at Old Edwards Inn from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until tests run out. Individuals can get a test regardless of their ability to pay and do not need to schedule an appointment.
Another testing clinic will be held the week of June 8 at a date and location to be announced.
In addition, the Highlands Cashiers Health Foundation will hold a testing clinic in Cashiers on Saturday, June 6 and another in Highlands on Saturday, June 13. Go to highlandscashiershealthfounfdation.org for more information.
Kathy McGaha, director of Macon County Public Health, said there were connections between the two clusters.
“Most of the recent positive tests were identified by contact testing related to other cases in the community,” she said.
“Based on the large amount of positives that we have received over the last week, we have determined that there is community spread in Macon County,” said Dr. Donald Dewhurst, Macon Public Health medical director. “We encourage everyone who is able to stay home, to do so.”
For those who have to make essential trips, Dewhurst said, follow the 3Ws: Wear a mask, wash your hands and wait six feet apart from others.
Warren Cabe, director of Macon County Emergency Services, said there are currently no plans to reinstate restrictions that have been lifted but that the county is prepared to do so if necessary.
All those who test positive are required to isolate for 14 days.
There is currently one person hospitalized with COVID-19 in Macon County, McGaha said.
Overall, Macon has seen a total of 90 cases of COVID-19, with eight patients recovered and one death. The health department has increased testing to about 100 per day, according to county health officials. A total of 1,314 tests have been conducted in Macon as of June 1.
Macon’s 81 active cases, as of June 1, lead all far-western North Carolina counties. Haywood was second at 48.
Both Buncombe and Henderson reported 346 cases as of June 1, but Macon is reporting a greater per capita rate than Buncombe, with 24 cases per 10,000 population compared to Buncombe’s 13 cases per 10,000, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. Henderson reports 30 cases per 10,000.
MCPH recommends that businesses, churches and community gathering places take temperatures of all employees at the start of their shift, implement flexible sick leave to allow employees to take time off if they or their immediate family is sick.
The department is also encouraging the disinfection of high-touch surfaces (doorknobs, keypads, tablets, etc.) and to require masks for all employees.
Three children test positive
Three Individuals under the age of 18 have tested positive for COVID-19 and are considered by the health department at risk of developing severe inflammatory syndrome known as MIS-C.
The condition, called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) can develop after a COVID-19 infection. None of the cases are currently showing symptoms of MIS-C.
MIS-C was originally identified in the United Kingdom (UK). New York state has since reported 102 patients with similar presentations, and continues to receive additional reports of suspected cases.
The most common identified symptoms are a fever of at least 100.4 F lasting longer than 24 hours, severe inflammation and a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to COVID-19 within four weeks of the onset of symptoms. If parents feel that their child may have MIS-C, they should contact their physician to discuss their symptoms.