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Coronavirus: What you need to know in Asheville, WNC on June 27 - Citizen Times

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ASHEVILLE - North Carolina COVID-19 hospitalizations remained high June 26 following the second and first highest days for hospitalizations since the pandemic began with 892 cases.

Hospitalizations peaked in the state on June 23 with 915. They numbered 906 on June 24.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services tallied 58,818 cases on June 26 — up 1,635 from the previous day.

NCDHHS counts a total of 1,303 deaths associated with lab-tested COVID-19 cases statewide, an increase of 13 over the previous day.

As of about noon June 26, Buncombe County reported 527 cases, including 37 deaths.

In a briefing, interim health director Dr. Jennifer Mullendore said 32 of those deaths were in long-term care facilities. She said there are now outbreaks of COVID-19 in seven long-term care facilities in Buncombe.

More: Buncombe County has not yet hit coronavirus peak, health officials say

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in other Western North Carolina counties, according to state counts:

  • Avery: 8 cases, 0 deaths.
  • Cherokee: 32 cases, 1 death.
  • Clay: 9 cases, 0 deaths.
  • Graham: 8 cases, 0 deaths.
  • Haywood: 75 cases, 0 deaths.
  • Henderson: 535 cases, 49 deaths.
  • Jackson: 83 cases, 1 death.
  • Macon: 262 cases, 1 death.
  • Madison: 9 cases, 0 deaths.
  • McDowell: 208 cases, 1 death.
  • Mitchell: 26 cases, 0 deaths.
  • Polk: 67 cases, 4 deaths.
  • Swain: 50 cases, 0 deaths.
  • Transylvania: 19 cases, 1 death.
  • Watauga: 51 cases, 0 deaths.
  • Yancey: 43 cases, 0 deaths.

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Buncombe adds free testing sites 

Buncombe health staff are set to begin 10 weeks of free COVID-19 testing at permanent sites in the county with time specifically set aside for staff of local long-term care facilities.

Interim health director Dr. Jennifer Mullendore told county commissioners June 24 during a special board meeting that testing continues to increase in Buncombe and that, so far, free community testing — for which times and location have varied — has been successful.

From June 30-Sept. 6, the county will begin offering that community testing regularly in three locations.

Find out where and when you can get tested here. 

Phase 2 continues, mask mandate goes into effect

Gov. Roy Cooper announced June 24 that he would extend the second phase in the reopening process for three additional weeks, through July 17, and adds a requirement that face coverings be worn in most public spaces — something Buncombe had already mandated.

The new order, along with the requirement for face coverings, goes into effect June 26 at 5 p.m.

More: Coronavirus: NC Gov. Cooper extends Phase 2 through July 17, requires face coverings

More: Tillis: Wear masks to protect health and economy from COVID-19

Buncombe will fully align with NC on coronavirus restrictions

Buncombe County will fully align with the state when Cooper's new order goes into effect at 5. The county response was previously slightly more restrictive than that of North Carolina.

The state entered Phase 2 on May 22. The move included a lifting of the statewide stay-at-home order and a limited reopening of restaurants for dine-in service and personal care, grooming and tattoo businesses. 

Bars, movie theaters, bowling alleys and gyms were ordered to remain closed.

Phase 2 allowed swimming pools to open at 50% capacity and gatherings of up to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors as long as social distancing is observed. 

Buncombe removes hotel, lodging restrictions

An additional restriction on hotels and short-term lodging that capped occupancy at 50% was one of the few ways Buncombe's efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19 still differed from those of the state.

That changed on the evening of June 24 when commissioners voted unanimously to remove the restriction effective immediately. 

County health staff supported lifting Buncombe's additional tourism restrictions, in part, because the hotel occupancy cap was not as effective as officials hoped it would be.

More: Coronavirus: Buncombe removes hotel, lodging restrictions effective immediately

Regular Buncombe testing sites will have time set aside for long-term care staff

Buncombe health staff are set to begin 10 weeks of free COVID-19 testing at permanent sites in the county with time specifically set aside for staff of local long-term care facilities.

From June 30-Sept. 6, the community testing will be offered regularly in three locations.

“We’re trying to vary some hours, vary some days, hoping that it will become more accessible for people who work different hours,” said interim health director Dr. Jennifer Mullendore.

More: Buncombe creates free COVID-19 testing sides with time set aside for long-term care staff

5 new ways to stay sane in the pandemic

Splashville is closed. Asheville Parks and Recreation isn't offering traditional summer camp this year. Even the playgrounds are largely shuttered.

But staff writer Mackensy Lunsford has a new Asheville social-distancing to-do list with five ways to stay sane during the pandemic for kids and adults.

More: 5 new ways to stay sane: Your Asheville social-distancing to-do list

Asheville businesses got relief from TDA funding

Hundreds of small Asheville businesses found out last week that they won grant money from the $5 million Buncombe County Tourism Jobs Recovery Fund, established by the county's Tourism Development Authority to help local businesses recover from the financial impacts of COVID-19.

Nearly 400 small local businesses will get grants of $2,500-$50,000, including Asheville Yoga Center, Biscuit Head, Hood Huggers International, Rhubarb, Ultimate Ice Cream, The Orange Peel and more.

The TDA and Mountain Bizworks, a local business-supporting nonprofit since 1989, say is the fund is expected to retain, recover or create nearly 4,800 jobs.

More: Hundreds of small Asheville businesses get relief this week from TDA funding

Mackenzie Wicker covers Buncombe County for the Asheville Citizen Times. You can reach her at mwicker@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter @MackWick.

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