The Department of Public Health will begin to report recovery numbers in the COVID-19 updates. As of Monday, Oct. 12, the Health Department reports 6,138 positive COVID-19 cases in Cumberland County since the onset of the pandemic. Of those positive cases, 540 remain active while 5,506 cases are considered recovered.
Recovery data is reported using the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) estimated median time to recover of 14 days from the date of specimen collection for non-fatal COVID-19 cases who were not hospitalized, or if hospitalization status is unknown. The estimated median recovery time is 28 days from the date of specimen collection for hospitalized non-fatal COVID-19 cases. Estimates are used since patient-specific data on the actual time to resolution of all symptoms are not available for all COVID-19 cases in North Carolina.
While reconciling reports for recovery data, Health Department officials found that eight deaths that occurred from May to September were not reflected on either the NCDHHS nor the Cumberland County dashboards. The eight cases were included in the positive test count.
The most recent update on Oct. 9 reported 82 deaths. The correct death toll in Cumberland County associated with COVID-19 is 94. The four most recent deaths were reported to the Health Department since the Friday update and all 12 of the additional deaths were residents older than 65.
The NCDHHS and Cumberland COVID-19 dashboards will be updated to reflect this corrected information.
Funding Available for Virtual Learning Centers
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners is accepting Request for Proposals for community organizations to operate virtual learning centers for students in grades K-8.
A Request for Proposals in on the County’s website. The submission deadline is Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. The funding is available because of Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars the County received.
Staying Updated
Cumberland County has made it easy for you to stay updated on the latest information about COVID-19. You can visit our COVID-19 webpage, which has a list of COVID-19-related closures and service changes. The county is also sharing important information on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.