Latest: Staff member at Johnston Co. nursing home says she thinks resident gave her coronavirus

Here are the latest updates on the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in North Carolina and across the globe.

Posted 10:20 a.m. Apr 4, 2020 — Updated 2:53 a.m. Apr 5, 2020

RALEIGH, N.C. — Here are the latest updates on the impact of the coronavirus outbreak in North Carolina and across the globe:

What you need to know:

At least 2,484 people in 92 North Carolina counties have tested positive for the coronavirus. There are now 119 confirmed recovery cases. Maps, data on the outbreak.
At least 34 people have died in North Carolina, including a Montgomery County deputy and two out-of-state people who died while traveling in North Carolina. There are 271 people are in North Carolina hospitals.
A statewide stay-at-home order is in effect through April 30. Any local orders with tighter restrictions take precedence over the state order.

Coronavirus

Latest updates:

10:14 p.m.: Johnston County Public Health has identified another case of COVID-19 at the Springbrook Rehibilitation and Nursing Center. This case involves a staff member.

That makes the fourth case of COVID-19 that was discovered at the facility on Saturday. WRAL's Aaron Thomas spoke with the staff member who said she believes she got the virus from a resident at the center.

"You never think that it would happen to you," said the staff member, who we are not identifying. "When I got my results back today, I was devastated."

The staff member said she's feeling fine but "I run a fever every now and then, nothing over 100, so I'm coping with it," she said. "I'm dealing with it, trying to stay hydrated."

She worked at the Springbrook Rehabilitation and Nursing Facility in Clayton where three patients tested positive for coronavirus.

"This afternoon actually is when I was notified that one of the residents tested positive, and it was a resident that I had hands-on care with," the woman said.

The Johnston County employee is in recovery and hopes officials are able to protect staff members and residents in these facilities.

"It's just an unfortunate situation that has spread worldwide," the staff member said.

7:11 p.m.: New Hanover County reported two new COVID-19 cases, bringing the county's total to 44. The county also reports 19 people have recovered from the 44.

6:09 p.m.: Durham County Public Health officials announced Saturday that one person has now died there due to COVID-19. They also reported 10 new cases of the virus in the county. That brings the total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the county to 182.

Officials said the person who died was over 65 with underlying health conditions.

4:09 p.m.: Robeson County announced its fifth COVID-19 case. Officials said in an email the latest patient is an older person with travel history who is currently hospitalized.

3:58 p.m.: The Johnston County Health Department reports three COVID-19 cases at a nursing and rehab center in Clayton. One death has also been reported. Officials said in a press release the cases at the Springbrook Rehabilitation and Nursing Center have been with residents of the facility.

“The safety of all Johnston County residents is our priority," Public Health Director Dr. Marilyn Pearson said. "Upon notification of the initial positive case, facility management was contacted by the Public Health Department and we informed our partners at NC DHHS and the Division of Health Services Regulation."

There are now 32 confirmed cases in Johnston County with three deaths and two recoveries.

1:00 p.m.: North Carolina's confirmed cases have more than doubled since last week at this time. The updated case count is 2,439, compared to 1,014 last Saturday.

The death count has also jumped to 8 times higher than it was last Saturday. At the time, NC had only 4 confirmed related deaths. Today, we have 32.

Although the 65+ age bracket only makes up 20% of cases, they account for nearly 80% of deaths.

There are 271 people currently hospitalized in North Carolina. Mecklenburg County has 635 cases and Wake County has 283.

11:00 a.m.: A three-story fire at a Raleigh apartment complex destroyed 12 units, leaving more than a dozen people without homes during the COVID-19 'stay-at-home' order. The devastating fire highlights a new challenge for first responders--how to handle a disaster during a pandemic.

While watching their neighbors homes burn, social distancing and COVID-19 seemed impossible in the face of an active disaster. Fire fighters said they try to practice guidelines for COVID-19 safety, but in the face of an emergency, saving lives comes first.

"We put our lives on the line," said one fire fighter at the scene.

Meanwhile, several homeless families now face their own challenge--facing a pandemic while also trying to recover from losing their homes and possessions.

Dozens left homeless during 'stay-at-home' order after apartment fire destroys 12 units

10:00 a.m.: A second resident from Harnett County has died of complications from COVID-19. At least 31 people in North Carolina have died.

9:00 a.m.: Late Friday evening, Duplin County Health Department received confirmation of a fifth resident who has tested positive for COVID-19.

8:30 a.m.: City curfews and stricter guidelines have begun going into effect. Durham has banned gatherings of more than five people. Fayetteville's mayor has said no groups of any size should gather.

Halifax County issued a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. that went into effect last night. Franklin County's curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. starts tomorrow.

Curfews in place in four parts of NC as coronavirus pandemic spreads

7:30 a.m.: With new guidelines encouraging people to wear face masks, but medical workers still facing a shortage of protective gear, WRAL's Gilbert Baez showed us how to create our own masks.

7:00 a.m.: Some local churches are offering virtual services. Looking for a full list of online church services? WRAL has compiled the information here.

6:30 a.m.: The White House has begun asking Americans to cover their faces in public to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

6:00 a.m.: There are over 2,200 confirmed cases of coronavirus in North Carolina, including cases in 92 of our state's 100 counties. There have been 30 deaths and over 250 hospitalizations in NC.

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