ASHEVILLE, NC – April 12, 2022 – Buncombe County COVID-19 metrics are on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard. Data from April 11 indicate:
- There are 43 cases per 100,000 residents in the last 7 days up from 40 last week. There have been no significant changes for the past 4 weeks.
- 66% of the total population have received their full primary vaccination series. This is unchanged for about 2 months
- 59% of people with full primary vaccination series have had at least one booster
- There are fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations and ICU patients over the past week.
- The CDC reports that the risk level for Buncombe County is low for the week ending April 14.
- Wastewater surveillance may provide an early warning before individual testing shows that COVID-19 is spreading. The state dashboard reports that the 15-day rate of change of viral load for the Metropolitan Sewer District for Buncombe County is moderately falling for the time period ending April 6th. The CDC website reports that it is moderately falling for the time period ending April 11th. According to the CDC website, “When levels of the virus in wastewater are low, a modest increase in virus level can appear much larger when you look at the percent change. This metric may be affected by how often wastewater plants collect samples or by environmental factors (such as rainfall).”
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends:
- Get vaccinated and boosted when eligible.
- People with any COVID symptoms or exposure to someone with COVID should get tested
- People who are positive for COVID-19 or do not feel well should stay home
Vaccination sites and testing sites can be located through the North Carolina and Buncombe County Department of Health and Human Services.
Save your face masks:
- The risk level may rise with a new variant
- A person at high risk for severe illness should speak with their health care provider
- Mask wearing is recommended for persons with a positive test, having symptoms, or exposure to someone with COVID-19
- Governor Cooper’s executive order requires everyone to wear a mask in “high risk” settings like health care facilities, nursing homes, correctional facilities and homeless shelters.
Listen to the full report below:
Contact: Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]
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