Coronavirus outbreak reported at Durham homeless shelter

The family lives at the Durham Rescue Mission facility at 507 E. Knox St., said Rob Tart, chief operating officer for the mission. The woman caught the virus from a co-worker and then infected her three children, officials said.

"She’s been quarantined since we first saw her symptoms. She’s been quarantined the whole time, along with her children," Tart said. "We have not taken in any new clients since she’s been diagnosed."

The family tested positive last week, and the Durham County Health Department tested everyone at the Knox Street shelter this week, said Ernie Mills Jr., stewardship officer for the mission. Officials haven't been notified of any other positive results, he said.

About 80 to 100 people spend the night at the shelter, and about 350 stay at the mission's shelter for men on East Main Street. No infections have been reported at the men's facility.

"I believe it's a miracle, to be honest," Mills said of the limited outbreak, considering the number of people moving in and out of the shelters. "We’ve taken extreme precautions."

Volunteers have been making masks and face coverings for people who stay at the shelter, and Topo Distillery in Chapel Hill has donated hand sanitizer to the facility, he said.

"We can’t let our guards down," Tart said. "It’s been a long time, and people are getting tired. We just got to keep reiterating, keep cleaning – we’ve got people cleaning the vehicles, cleaning the door knobs and everything we can do – and wear our masks, and just trust that the Lord protects us."

North Carolina Coronavirus dashboard - Maps, charts and data

The news comes as Durham County is prepared to relax the city-county restrictions to limit the spread of the virus. Durham has one of the stricter set of rules still in place for the pandemic.

As of 5 p.m. Friday, real estate agents can once again hold open houses for both occupied and unoccupied residences for sale, as long as no more than 10 people are inside at one time and social distancing and sanitation guidelines are followed.

Also, outdoor fitness classes of up to 25 people will be allowed under the relaxed rules, as long as social distancing – participants must be 10 feet apart – and sanitation guidelines are followed.

"We appreciate the active engagement and participation of both our realtors and our fitness centers in our Durham Recovery and Renewal Task Force Roundtables," Wendy Jacobs, chairwoman of the Durham County Board of Commissioners, said in a statement. "Like many of our business sectors, they are taking the lead to develop and implement industry best practices putting their clients and customers' safety first."