ASHEVILLE, NC – April 24, 2024 – Respiratory infections, like COVID-19, are prevalent during the winter months. The winter surge of respiratory infections has passed. However, over the past 3 years, COVID-19 infections, unlike other respiratory infections, have also surged in August.
The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on April 13th shows:
- Hospital admission levels are low in every county in North Carolina, including Buncombe County. They are low in almost 100% of the counties in the U.S. Admissions have decreased in the U.S., North Carolina and Buncombe County from the previous week.
- Less than 2% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 2nd lowest level of 6 groups.
- Emergency room visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina. This is less than 1% of all ER visits, the lowest level of 5 groups
Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on April 10th shows:
- The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is at a red level representing the highest level of 5 groups, currently between the 80th and 100th percentile relative to the past level measured at the same site.
- The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample has increased from the previous week, at 100% or greater, the highest level of 3 groups for a positive rate of change.
Listen to the full report below:
Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, healthyasheville@ashevillefm.org