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The Buncombe County COVID-19 weekly update: It’s still with us

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Related Show: Asheville FM News Hour

Source: NCDHHS

 

ASHEVILLE, NC – May 31, 2023 – The national COVID-19 metrics are on the CDC’s COVID Dashboard. Weekly data from the week ending on May 20th indicate:

  • Hospital admissions are at a low level in every county in North Carolina and almost 100% of the counties in the U.S. Buncombe County’s COVID-19 hospitalizations have decreased
  • The number of weekly deaths due to COVID-19 in the U.S. has decreased by about 13%
  • Emergency room visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data for the week ending on May 17th is on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard.

  • The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is at a light blue level representing the 2nd lowest level of 5 groups
  • The number of viral gene copies in each water sample has decreased over the past 15 days.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services wants everyone to know that:

  • COVID-19 can affect people differently. Some people have mild symptoms like a cold and others have more severe symptoms like a bad case of the flu. Some effects can be long-lasting.
  • Older adults and immunocompromised people are at a higher risk of developing severe illness and being hospitalized. The CDC recommends that people in these groups get an updated COVID-19 bivalent booster because it gives added protection.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends:

  • Stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines
  • For extra protection, wear an efficient medical grade mask
  • People who are positive for COVID-19 or do not feel well should stay home
  • People with any COVID symptoms should get tested
  • If you test positive, your doctor may recommend medical treatment

More and more Americans have developed some immunity to COVID-19 from immunizations and previous infection. New variants continue to infect people with the most at-risk groups more susceptible to severe illness.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, healthyasheville@ashevillefm.org

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