Durham reports second coronavirus death as Triangle cases rise

Jonathan M. Alexander
·2 min read

Triangle counties reported 38 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday, including 25 in Durham and the county’s second death.

The Durham County resident was 65 and had underlying health conditions, according to the county’s press release.

Durham County now has 349 cases as the county grapples with outbreaks at Durham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Durham VA Healthcare System Community Nursing Home, and Treyburn Rehabilitation Center.

Durham officials did not say whether the person who died lived at one of the three facilities.

But Durham Nursing and Rehabilitation Center reported a significant increase in positive cases: 54 total cases, a jump of 39 since Monday. Durham VA has five cases (one more than reported Monday), and Treyburn has four cases.

Durham, Wake and Orange County each have at least two outbreaks at long-term care facilities.

Wake County reported 504 total cases of coronavirus, nine more than it reported on Monday, as it deals with outbreaks at Sunny Rehabilitation Center in Raleigh, and Wellington Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Knightdale.

The DHHS reported Orange County had 155 cases, four more than it listed Monday, as the county is dealing with outbreaks at PruittHealth-Carolina and Signature Healthcare. At PruittHealth, four people have died, two who are Orange County residents.

There are at least 30 outbreaks at nursing homes across the state.

Chatham County reported its first death on Tuesday, a resident at The Laurels of Chatham Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Pittsboro, where a number of positive COVID-19 cases had been reported.

The state reported more than 5,000 positive cases, since the first case was reported on March 2. It has been reported in 93 of North Carolina’s 100 counties.

While outbreaks continue, and numbers continue to rise, state leaders appeared optimistic on Tuesday that staying at home has contributed to the decrease in the number of new positive cases.

DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen said in a Tuesday afternoon news conference that the state is watching trends involving cases, hospitalizations and deaths, and that the “doubling rate” for lab-documented case is extending, The News & Observer reported.

“That tells us that we’re slowing the rate of acceleration,” Cohen said. “And it tells us that all the hard work we’re doing to stay at home is working.”