Staff of a residential care facility in Buncombe County have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to Brownie Newman, chair of the county Board of Commissioners.
Newman alerted the Citizen Times to the news the afternoon of May 12, saying he has been worried about outbreaks in long-term care facilities and wants the county to help ramp up testing of staff.
"I think the county has to have a clear plan of systematic testing of staff in these facilities," he said.
Newman declined to name the facility, saying he was not sure if he could release it and said he believed it had been multiple staff members. He said an official county announcement was on the way.
He pointed to a New York Times story saying one third of all COVID-19 deaths in the US have been of nursing home residents or workers. Residential care facilities in North Carolina account for 57% of the state's deaths, the story said.
That concentration of deaths in long-term care homes is likely even larger in Western North Carolina. Henderson County, which neighbors Buncombe, has been the center of such outbreaks.
Congregate living facilities in Henderson account for 169 cases of COVID-19 and 21 deaths, according to a report released May 5 by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
Newman, a Democrat, said he has been told that the state guidance has been not to test nursing home staff unless they have symptoms. But he said Buncombe should develop its own guidance. He said he's not sure if his view is shared with a majority of commissioners on the Democratic majority seven-member board.
"Frankly the staff should not only be tested, but should be tested with some regularity," the chairman said.
Commissioners voted 4-3 along party lines April 16 to prioritize a general expansion of testing.
Along with private testing providers, MAHEC, Urgent Care and Range Urgent Care, the county opened community testing sites May 12 and 14. Wednesday's testing is from 1-4 p.m at Buncombe County Schools Central Office, 175 Bingham Road in Asheville. Testing is recommended for people who believe they may have COVID-19. There is no out-of-pocket costs but those with private insurance should bring their coverage information.
Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
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May 13, 2020 at 07:40AM
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Buncombe long-term care home staff infected with coronavirus, Commissioners' chair says - Citizen Times
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