Old North News

City of Whiteville recently issued the following announcement.

One Columbus County resident has died from COVID-19 this week and the number of identified cases has risen to 1,075, according to information shared at the Aug. 26 Columbus County Board of Health meeting Wednesday night.

The new death takes Columbus County’s COVID-19 total to 51 since the pandemic began in March. There are currently four residents hospitalized in Atrium in Charlotte, Columbus Regional Healthcare System and New Hanover Regional Medical Center, as shared by Patti Nance, the health department’s nursing director. Recoveries were also up to 891

Columbus Health Director Kim Smith said that she has talked with leaders of all local schools systems, public and private, and says they’re all doing the proper procedures and are utilizing precautions, such as classroom social distancing, to prevent potential spread.

“Cases are going to happen because it’s out there,” Smith said. “When we bring individuals together, it’ll happen.”

Nance mentioned the potential for spread with university students returning to Columbus County due to in-person education being discontinued and student housing being cleared out.

At the end of the meeting, board member and local dentist Darryl Diefes started a discourse on how to get more Columbus County residents to wear masks. Diefes said he was amazed at the number of people in the county, including servers at restaurants, not wearing masks.

“It’s not their right to risk my health,” Diefes said. “Their rights stop when they jeopardize the health well being of any community member.”

Board member and physician Christy Perdue said it’ll take a community effort, saying she sees a lot of people who are “anti-mask.” Perdue said that government and law enforcement can pass and enforce mask mandates.

“The best place to get someone’s attention is in their pocket book.” Diefes said.

Perdue wanted to find out what Raleigh, Wake County, Durham and Durham County were doing to keep COVID-19 rates down.

Earlier in the meeting, Nance said that the first batch of flu vaccines have arrived in Columbus County. Flu shots will start to be given out Sept. 14 by appointment only, Nance said.

“With flu and COVID, yes you can have both at the same time, according to the CDC,” Nance said.

Nance also made a presentation about a new $7,500 grant to improve telemedicine for maternity patients, a new innovation for the department.

“This will allow (patients) to access it through their smart device, a neighbor’s smart device, a friend or whatever,” Nance said regarding the grant.

Nance said it’s a one-time grant and will be used to purchase laptops with microphones and cameras, plus get maternity clinic people trained in how to use the equipment.

The telehealth maternity services will target people who won’t come to regular appointments due to lack of transportation, Nance added.

Original source: https://whitevillenc.gov/news/2020/8/28/columbus-covid-19-death-total-rises-to-51-health-board-discusses-mask-wearing