RALEIGH, N.C. — Here are the latest updates on the coronavirus from North Carolina and across the globe showing the pandemic’s impact on health, jobs, schools and more:
At least 20,404 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, at least 728 people have died and another 555 or so remain in the hospital. State officials estimate that more than 11,600 people have recovered from COVID-19, the illness associated with the virus.
Latest updates
10:12 p.m.: An official with Lowe's says two associates and a vender at their Garysburg Distribution Center in Northampton County have tested positive for COVID-19. One associate who tested positive in April has since returned to work. The other associate is still in quarantine and last worked on May 1. The distribution center remains open and has been cleaned per CDC guidelines, the official said.
8:35 p.m.: State officials said previously that the spike in coronavirus infections last weekend was largely because of cases linked to a Wilkes County food processing plant. Tyson Foods officials said Wednesday that 570 workers at its Wilkesboro poultry processing plant had tested positive for the virus following testing of all 2,244 employees and contractors.
Employees who test positive receive paid leave and may return to work only when they have met the criteria established by both the CDC and Tyson, officials said.
"We are working closely with local health departments to protect our team members and their families and to help manage the spread of the virus in our communities,” Tom Brower, Tyson senior vice president, said in a statement. "We are using the most up-to-date data and resources to support our team members, and we are committed to ensuring they feel safe and secure when they come to work."
The company screens every employee before the start of a shift, requires that they wear masks and has installed barriers between work stations, officials said.
Outbreaks at 26 processing plants across North Carolina have infected more than 2,000 workers.
8 p.m.: The Professional Bowlers Association will resume its 2020 season on June 6. The PBA will implement changes to ensure the safety of all participants, including playing without live audiences, holding all tournaments in Jupiter, Fla., throughout the summer to reduce travel, prohibiting the sharing of equipment and requiring social distancing between players.
7:30 p.m.: A second resident of Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Vance County has died of coronavirus-related complications, officials said. The county has had 19 virus-related deaths, 15 of which were residents of long-term care facilities.
6 p.m.: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar will visit Charlotte on Thursday to tour a coronavirus testing site and hold roundtable discussions with area health care leaders and medical professionals.
5:45 p.m.: Two more Cumberland County residents have died of coronavirus-related complications, bringing the county total to 15. Statewide, the virus has killed 723 people.
5:35 p.m.: Gov. Roy Cooper said bars and gyms were left out of the Phase 2 reopening plans – they were initially part of the plan when informal guidance was laid out last month – because officials fear that they will become hotspots for coronavirus infections, with lots of people crowded together and sharing items.
"I think we're in a good place by making a cautious move," he said. "I think this Phase 2 will be a good boost to our economy while working to keep people safe."
5:30 p.m.: Worship services are exempt from the latest executive order, Gov. Roy Cooper said, but he urged ministers to follow state guidance to limit the size of any indoor services and instead focus on outdoor or online services.
5:20 p.m.: Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said Phase 2 of the North Carolina's reopening plan will last for at least five weeks to give officials time to ensure that loosening restrictions doesn't lead to a spike in coronavirus cases.
"We must take a cautious approach to make sure we do this the right way," Gov. Roy Cooper said.
5:10 p.m.: Gov. Roy Cooper will lift his stay-at-home order at 5 p.m. Friday and move the state into the second stage of a three-phase plan to resume business and social activities during the pandemic. But he called it a "safer-at-home" effort in scaling back earlier plans.
Now, restaurants, hair and nail salons, barbershops and swimming pools can reopen at 50 percent of their allowed capacity. But bars, gyms, movie theaters and playgrounds will remain closed for now.
Cooper also expanded the limit on outdoor gatherings to 25 people, up from 10. Indoor gatherings will remain capped at 10 people.
5 p.m.: While the number of coronavirus infections in North Carolina continues to grow, Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said much of that is attributed to expanded testing. The percentage of positive tests remains stable and fairly low, she said.
"I would have liked to see this trend start to level, but it has not done that," Cohen said of the number of new cases.
Hospitals still have capacity to handle an influx of COVID-19 patients, she said, noting the number of people hospitalized with the illness has remained flat in recent days.
"We are moving to Phase 2, but we need to take a more modest step," she said.
4:20 p.m.: A French veterinary school is trying to determine if search and rescue dogs can be used to sniff out COVID-19 through someone's sweat.
The dogs are presented with three samples – sweat from a COVID-19 patient, sweat from a person who tested negative for the coronavirus and a neutral sample – and if the dog finds the right sample, it is given its favorite toy as a reward.
The professor leading the study said sweat from COVID-19 sufferers has a distinctive smell, and the dogs have had at least 86 percent success in sniffing out positive cases. Still, the study is in its early stages and there has yet to be medical proof to back up the findings.
3:10 p.m.: Garner has canceled its July 3rd Independence Day Celebration because of coronavirus concerns.
Instead of the traditional celebration, which usually includes fireworks, food vendors, kids activities and a performance by the North Carolina Symphony, Garner plans to work with the local Show N Tell Ministries to produce a television/video program featuring Broadway stars, the 82nd Airborne Division Band, a salute to the troops and greetings from Mayor Ken Marshburn and Town Council members.
Garner officials said they hope to reschedule the fireworks show later in the year, but no final decision has been made.
3 p.m.: A Bald Head Island property owner and a property management firm have sued island officials in federal court, alleging that their continued ban on beach house rentals to limit the spread of coronavirus is an unconstitutional interference with interstate commerce and the plaintiffs' due process rights.
Blue Pearl Partners LLC and Tiffany's Beach Rentals Inc. say Gov. Roy Cooper lifted the prohibition on short-term rentals in his statewide stay-at-home order on May 8, and Bald Head Island's ongoing ban will hurt efforts to rent properties to vacationers over the Memorial Day holiday and into the summer season.
"[T]here is no public health rationale for Bald Head Island's continued draconian measures," the lawsuit states, noting that the plaintiffs "pledge to practice public health guidelines."
2:30 p.m.: The American Health Care Association estimates that testing all nursing home residents and staff in North Carolina would cost more than $12.2 million. Nationwide, such testing – the estimates don't include people living and working in assisted living or other long-term care facilities – would cost at least $439 million, the organization says.
2:15 p.m.: According to a poll by the Associated Press and NORC, 83 percent of Americans are concerned that lifting pandemic-related restrictions in their area will lead to additional coronavirus infections.
1 p.m.: Three Durham County residents, two in Lenoir County and one each in Chatham and Northampton counties are among the 13 latest coronavirus deaths in North Carolina. Overall, the virus has killed 720 people statewide.
12:50 p.m.: The state Community College System is working with the state Department of Public Instruction to ensure that students will be able to continue their education, despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Community colleges’ open-door admission policies ensure that any student will be eligible, regardless of test scores and grade point averages. Graduates should not let this pandemic disrupt their next steps," state Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson said in a statement.
"Despite the upheaval of the past few months, we want students to know that we will do everything possible to serve them and ensure that their future educational path is a smooth one,” Peter Hans, president of the Community College System, said in the statement. "Community colleges are beefing up advising and career services to help students as they navigate their way forward."
12:45 p.m.: United Airlines flight attendants are now handing out masks and individually wrapped sanitizer wipes to passengers. United also says it's the only U.S. airline that has a full-time medical director focused on COVID-19.
12:40 p.m.: Costco is lifting some restrictions that were put in place because of the coronavirus. A policy limiting the number of people allowed inside to two per membership card ended last week, and most stores have returned to regular shopping hours.
Social distancing and masks are still required for all members and guests, however, and all beef, pork and poultry purchases are temporarily limited to three items per person.
12:20 p.m.: Coronavirus has infected more than 20,000 people in North Carolina. One-fifth of that total has been reported in the last week as the state has pushed to expand coronavirus testing.
It took eight weeks for the state to record its first 10,000 infections, but going from 10,000 to 20,000 took only three weeks.
12:10 p.m.: A White House plan to end the deployments of more than 40,000 National Guard members to help North Carolina and other states fight the pandemic is drawing criticism. The deployments would end one day before many would become eligible to receive federal benefits, such as moving up their retirement dates and receiving discounts on tuition at public universities.
Democrats say the move is an attempt to avoid providing benefits to National Guard members, while Republicans say they can accumulate that last day of emergency service at a later date. The National Guard Association says deployments are rare, and most guardsmen likely would end up not receiving the benefits.
11 a.m.: Purdue University's president said its professors will be teaching behind plexiglass, and its students will be asked to wear masks.
The university is having a "hybrid" approach to classes in the fall. Most students will take at least one course online, Mitch Daniels said on CNN. All students will be asked to wear masks, take their temperature every day and self-quarantine if they experience coronavirus symptoms. The university will do its own testing and tracing if any students do test positive.
10:30 a.m.: Staff at the Rex Wellness Center in Wakefield said they are "working hard to get ready to reopen." Pictures from the gym's Facebook account show arrows on the ground to help enforce social distancing.
Projections from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation now forecast more than 2,500 deaths from the disease through Aug. 4. That's down about 40 percent from the group's projection last week of 4,400 deaths. So far, 707 people have died from the virus.
9:45 a.m.: The Duke Clinical Research Institute is leading a study to determine if hydroxychloroquine can successfully prevent coronavirus infections in health care workers with a high risk of infection.
The second part of the study is a randomized clinical trial that began last month and is currently examining almost 600 health care workers, with 25 to 40 added each day. The participants are randomly divided into two groups: one will take hydroxychloroquine and the other a placebo to "examine whether hydroxychloroquine is effective in decreasing the rate of COVID-19 infection," according to a press release from the university.
9 a.m.: The Cumberland County Health Department is holding testing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Manna Church parking lot located at 5117 Cliffdale Road. Because of the stormy weather, the department has shelters available to keep people out of the rain.
8:30 a.m.: Research from the University of North Carolina's Business School found that, in the U.S., governors up for re-election on average implemented more executive actions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic than governors not up for re-election. An average of 21 more executive orders were issued in states with governors up for re-election, researchers said, noting "this may indicate that election pressures have affected the state response" to the pandemic.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is up for re-election in November.
8 a.m.: A man is accused of shooting and wounding a Waffle House employee in suburban Denver the night after being asked to wear a face covering inside the restaurant, authorities said.
Police in Aurora, Colo., arrested Kelvin Watson, 27, on Monday on a charge of attempted first-degree murder, NBC affiliate KDVR reported. According to an arrest affidavit, employees told investigators Watson came to the restaurant shortly after midnight last Thursday, and a waitress told him he needed to wear a mask to be served. The restaurant was offering only carry-out service.
Watson allegedly returned with a mask that he was not wearing and was again told he could not be served. Witnesses said he put a small gun on the counter before telling the cook he could “blow your brains out,” according to the affidavit.
8 a.m.: Wilson County has had 23 residents and 24 staff at long-term care facilities test positive for coronavirus. Three people have died. In total, the county has confirmed five new cases of the virus since Tuesday.
7 a.m.: Triangle Town Center will be opening Thursday with new operating hours:. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
An update on the mall's website asks shoppers to stay 6 feet apart, frequently wash their hands when entering the mall and not to enter if they have a fever or any other symptoms of COVID-19. There will also be directional arrows guiding shoppers through the mall, and 10 or more people are not allowed to gather inside.
Some stories and restrooms may be closed, the update said.
6:15 a.m.: The University of Cambridge does not plan to hold any face-to-face lectures in the 2020-21 school year due to concerns about the coronavirus. Instead, students will attend online lectures.
6 a.m.: A Fayetteville childcare center will close its doors for good, in part due to COVID-19. The Early Childhood Education Center on the campus of Fayetteville Tech closed on March 20, but the school's board voted Tuesday night not to reopen, citing financial hardship from the pandemic. The center employed 30 people.
5:45 a.m.: Drive-thru testing is available in Fayetteville at the Walmart on Ramsey Street on Wednesday. Anyone who meets CDC guidelines can get a test. This site is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 to 9 a.m. by appointment.
5 a.m.: High school and college graduates have until Sunday to get free doughnuts at Krispy Kreme. Dozens of cars lined up on Person Street in downtown Raleigh on Tuesday, the first day of the promotion. Grads just have to wear their cap and gown or other 2020 gear to the store.
4:30 a.m.: Like many spas and salons, Massage Envy is preparing to reopen with new protocol in place. The chain says all locations have updated mandatory cleaning and disinfection protocols, and providers will be required to wear masks. All employees will be required to undergo additional training before returning to work.
4 a.m.: Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to announce during a 5 p.m. news conference if North Carolina will enter phase 2 of the state's reopening plan on Friday.
Under the phase, which would take effect at 5 p.m. Friday, restaurants can open their indoor dining areas and hair and nail salons, barbershops, spas, tattoo parlors and gyms can reopen as long as they limit customers to 50 percent of the site's allowed capacity.
Restaurants will have to take some added precautions, like keeping tables at least 6 feet apart, both indoor and outdoor, and keep 6-foot gaps between counter seats. Restaurants are encouraged to take other steps, like using disposable paper menus and screening employees and customers with temperature checks.
In phase 2, the statewide stay-at-home order will be lifted and people can gather in small groups of more than 10 people. Public playgrounds and public pools will be able to reopen, and entertainment venues and places or worship can operate at a limited capacity.
