Full Notification

November 2, 2020

The McDowell County Health Department has been notified that 26 additional McDowell County residents have tested positive for novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are saddened to report one additional death related to COVID-19. 

This brings the total number of positives to 1,288 in McDowell County. There have been 18, 497 people tested, 17,164 negative results and 45 tests are pending results.  Presently, there are 102 individuals in quarantine, 1151 out of quarantine and 35 deaths.

Emergency Services and Public Health continue to offer assistance and logistical support to facilities that are experiencing current outbreaks of COVID-19. Outbreaks are defined by DHHS as:  two or more cases of COVID-19 in a congregate living facility within 28 days.  The current outbreaks in McDowell County are:

• Autumn Care of Marion:  a total of 22 staff and 57 residents have tested positive.  A total of 26 residents and 14 staff members have recovered since testing positive for COVID-19.  A total of 2 residents have died due to COVID-19.
• Marion Correctional Institution: a total of 15 staff and 3 inmates have tested positive
• McDowell County Detention Center:  a total of 4 staff and 2 inmates have tested positive.  Currently, there are 3 recovered staff members and 2 recovered inmates. 
• Deer Park Outbreak #2:  4 staff have tested positive and 0 residents. 

The Health Department is working diligently to get in touch with all contacts of positives to offer testing.  We continue to quarantine all positives for 10 days, per CDC recommendations.  If an individual would like to be tested, they can call the hotline at (828) 527- 6687. The operator will ask a list of questions and will provide the caller with the appropriate instructions based upon the answers given. The hours of operation for this hotline are 8AM – 8PM, 7 days per week.  If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 and inform the dispatcher that you have symptoms of COVID-19.

To view McDowell County’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard, please click the following link:
http://www.mcdowellem.com/covid-19-information.html
 
Free COVID-19 testing will be conducted at the following locations via a drive-thru setup:

• McDowell County Health Department; Wednesday, November 4^th from 9-11 a.m.
• McDowell County Health Department; Friday, November 6^th from 9-11 a.m.