What seniors need to know now that coronavirus is in North Carolina

The Corona Virus, which affects those over 80 at 15 times the rate as those under 50, is now in North Carolina. Here is what seniors need to know.

Posted 5:30 p.m. Mar 4, 2020 — Updated 8:18 p.m. Mar 4, 2020

Liisa Ogburn

The first case of coronavirus in North Carolina (in Wake County) was announced March 3, 2020, in apress conference with Gov. Roy Cooper. The unidentified carrier contracted the disease while visiting a nursing home in Washington state, several weeks ago. They were asymptomatic on February 22, when they flew back to Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Dr. Elizabeth Tilson, the state health director and chief medical officer with North Carolina DHHS, said the infected individual will remain in isolation until they no longer have symptoms and produce two negative tests that are 24 hours apart.

Since the individual's visit to the Life Care Center, seven residents of the long term care facility have died from the virus.

Life Care Center in Kirkland, Wash., the 190-bed long term care facility outside Seattle,announced its first case on Friday, February 28, two days after two residents had died of the virus. As of yesterday, seven residents have died and seven more with connections to the facility have become sick. According to Live Science, by comparing genetic sequences of two of the cases in Kirkland, scientists say the virus could have been spreading for up to six weeks there.

As of Wednesday morning, over 94,100 people in 76 countries around the world have been sickened by the virus. At least 3,210 have died from it, the vast majority (2,981) in China. According to the New York Times coronavirus map, there are currently 118 cases in the United States spread across sixteen states. The Centers for Disease Control, which only updates its count online once/day at noon during the business week, indicated yesterday that about one-third of confirmed cases were traced to travel.

According to the WHO director general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the virus, also referred to as COVID-19, has a 3.4 percent global mortality rate, as compared to the seasonal flu rate, which is less than 1%. However, many experts believe, as more people exhibiting mild symptoms are tested and included in the picture, that the mortality rate will go down.

What is most important is that, according to stat news, the CDC in China has found the fatality rate is for people over 80 to be almost 15% and, in contrast, less than one percent for those under 50. As of January, the median of those dying from the virus was 75.

Locally, long term care communities, as well as home health agencies that work primarily with seniors are buckling down on infection control. Gina Murray, RN, nurse practitioner and owner of Aware Senior Care, said, "Aware staff has been instructed to continue to follow Universal Precautions at all times. Employees will continue to routinely disinfect commonly touched areas, practice good hand hygiene and appropriate respiratory etiquette. Employees experiencing any respiratory symptoms should not report to work and call the office immediately."

If you think you have been exposed to the virus or are concerned you are developing symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control recommends calling your doctor, though it is likely at this juncture that your doctor will not have tests on-hand and may, after examining you, recommend you go to the hospital.

Ninety percent of people get a fever, 80% get a dry cough, and 30% experience shortness of breath and general malaise. Less than 1% are asymptomatic. Keep in mind that symptoms can appear up to two weeks after exposure.

However, in an article published in Time today, Dr. Steven Gambert, professor of medicine and director of geriatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, warned, “Old people may not get a fever so just checking their temperature may not reveal the infection." He said families should pay attention to other signs, like a fall or unusual forgetfulness."

Most importantly, seniors should be especially vigilant about washing their hands. They should avoid non-urgent visits to the doctor where there is a higher risk of inflection, the pharmacy or long term care facilities, especially if there is a reported case. Gambert recommends being proactive when going to communal settings, like seniors centers, churches, and dental offices and asking if there have been any coronavirus cases.

It is likely to get worse before getting better, but fortunately, spring is around the corner and warm weather tends to reduce transmission rates as more people spend time outdoors.

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