Health Team

North Carolina reports first death tied to child care COVID-19 cluster

North Carolina has reported its first death tied to a coronavirus cluster in a child care setting.

Posted Updated

By
NBC Charlotte
PLYMOUTH, N.C. — North Carolina has reported its first death tied to a coronavirus cluster in a child care setting.
NBC Charlotte reports the state said a staff member at a child care facility called Grace Filled Beginnings in Plymouth, located in Washington County, has died.

Grace Filled Beginnings first appeared on the Department of Health and Human Services cluster list last week, and at the latest check, the facility has eight staff members and two children with confirmed infections.

So far, at least 22 child care facilities or schools around the state have made the list, including six in the Charlotte region.

According to NCDHHS, a COVID-19 cluster is at least five confirmed cases within 14 days and "plausible epidemiologic linkage between cases."

On July 20, the NCDHHS said the state has seen a total of 87 cases in day care centers. Of those cases, 43 of those were adults and 44 were children. Dr. Karen Chilton, WakeMed Children's Hospital chief medical officer, said that, even with all the precautions in place, day cares are bound to see positive cases at some point.