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Stanly County Health Department reports 1,091 total positive cases of COVID-19 and 29 deaths as of Friday afternoon. More than 9,400 Stanly County residents have been tested.

However, Stanly County Health Department has received many questions about the COVID-19 data for Stanly County. Here are answers to the questions that are asked most frequently as provided by the department.

● Where do the numbers for Stanly County COVID-19 data come from?

Each case of COVID-19 that we report begins when a Stanly County resident tests positive for COVID-19. They may be tested at the health department, urgent care, doctor’s office, hospital or other test site. Even if they are tested in a different county, a Stanly County resident’s test is assigned to Stanly County. People who are residents of another county who are tested at a Stanly County site are assigned to the county in which they live.

● Why do the COVID-19 numbers reported on the Stanly County Department of Public Health Facebook page differ from the numbers reported on other sites?

The numbers reported on the health department Facebook are captured each weekday at 4 p.m. from the new positive test results we receive each day. Test results that come in after 4 p.m. are reported the next day. Each county’s local health department will have these numbers first and report them out to the state and the media.

● Who is counted on the recovered list? Why does the number of people recovered sometimes decrease?

People are added to the recovered list when they have completed their 10 day isolation. Prior to being identified as recovered, a public health official will contact the patient to assess their health status. If they have symptoms, symptoms must have improved and they also have to be without fever for 24 hours. Sometimes a person who completed isolation has symptoms that get worse, they are then taken off the recovered list and added back to the list of active cases.

● How do you determine if a death is due to COVID-19?

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services provides a case definition that is used to determine if a death was related to COVID-19. Deaths resulting from a “clinically compatible illness that was confirmed to be COVID-19 by an appropriate laboratory test” are counted in the Stanly County COVID-19 deaths. There should be no period of complete recovery between the date of COVID-19 diagnosis and the date of death. All deaths thought to be COVID-19 related are reviewed by local and state public health officials.

To schedule an appointment at the Stanly County Health Department drive-in testing site, call 704-982-9171. Financial assistance is available for those that need it. Additionally, your
healthcare provider can refer you to the Stanly County Health Department COVID-19 testing site.

You can stop the spread of the virus by following the 3 W’s:

● Wear a cloth face covering.

● Wait 6 feet apart. Avoid close contact.

● Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.