The Jackson County Department of Public Health (JCDPH) received notice on Monday, April 13 that two full-time Jackson County residents have tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The residents have been in isolation and JCDPH will continue to monitor them throughout the duration of their isolation time. To comply with state and federal laws and to protect the privacy of the residents, no further information will be released.
JCDPH will continue necessary contact tracing on these residents to identify close contacts. The CDC defines a close contact as being within approximately six feet of a person with COVID-19 infection for 10 minutes or longer. Based on information provided by the residents, staff will reach out to close contacts, assess their risk of exposure, and determine if they need to take any additional measures.
JCDPH officials said in a statement, “Jackson County, as a community, has been diligent in our prevention efforts, knowing that we could reach this point eventually. The identification of positive cases in full-time residents do not stop us from our proactive prevention efforts or our willingness to adapt to guidelines set by the State of North Carolina and the federal government. However, this information stresses the point that everyone should be staying home as much as possible to reduce our chances of exposing ourselves or others to COVID-19.”
Because COVID-19 is most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, individuals should take the same measures that healthcare providers recommend to prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses, including washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, staying home if you are sick and covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow. If you become ill with symptoms of respiratory illness, you should isolate yourself and call your healthcare provider for further guidance.
– Jackson County Department of Public Health release
