ASHEVILLE – As of noon June 12, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services tallied 41,249 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide. That’s an increase of 1,768 from the previous day. That’s the highest daily case jump overall, topping the previous high June 6 by almost 400 cases.
NCDHHS counts a total of 1,092 deaths associated with lab-tested COVID-19 statewide, an increase of 28 over the previous day, with 760 people hospitalized across the state.
Those numbers differ slightly from the Johns Hopkins University report in the graphic above. As of about 12:45 p.m. June 12, JHU counted 2,027,521 confirmed cases and 113,924 deaths as a result of COVID-19 in the Unites States. Its worldwide tally was 7,556,888 cases and 422,452 deaths.
As of about noon June 12, Buncombe County reported 425 total cases and 35 deaths.
Confirmed cases in other Western North Carolina counties, according to state counts:
- Avery: 6 case, 0 deaths.
- Cherokee: 30 cases, 1 death.
- Clay: 8 cases, 0 deaths.
- Graham: 6 cases, 0 deaths.
- Haywood: 63 cases, 0 deaths.
- Henderson: 414 cases, 48 deaths.
- Jackson: 59 cases, 1 death.
- Macon: 178 cases, 1 death.
- Madison: 4 cases, 0 deaths. (The county reported a fifth case June 11.)
- McDowell: 129 cases, 1 death.
- Mitchell: 15 cases, 0 deaths.
- Polk: 53 cases, 4 deaths.
- Swain: 37 cases, 0 deaths.
- Transylvania: 16 cases, 1 deaths.
- Watauga: 38 cases, 0 deaths.
- Yancey: 23 cases, 0 deaths.
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Would NC roll back some of Phase 2?
As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge in North Carolina, the state’s top health official has raised the possibility of reinstating a stay-at-home order.
Mackenzie Wicker reports that Secretary of NC Health and Human Services Dr. Mandy Cohen told NPR’s Morning Edition June 11 that a rollback of the Phase 2 allowance is possible, but that she hopes it won’t come to that. She said there are other things the state can do before it reaches that point, but that officials are concerned.
More: Coronavirus: NC return to stay-at-home order possible as cases surge, health secretary says
Eye-popping unemployment numbers
For years now, Asheville’s unemployment rate has been reliably boring — and usually the lowest in the state, typically hovering in the low-3 percent range.
John Boyle reports that in February, for instance, it stood at 2.9%, down from 3.2% in January. It began edging up ever so slightly in March, when it stood at 3.4%. But in April, the novel coronavirus came crashing into town like a virulent wrecking ball, laying waste to the local economy, which is heavily dependent on leisure and tourism jobs.
Asheville’s unemployment jumped to 20.5%, and it was 17.5% in all of Buncombe County.
More: 17.5% unemployment in Buncombe; Asheville metro area lost 36,400 jobs in April
And here is an unemployment tracker that shows data for counties across the country.
7 takeaways in Buncombe
Mackenzie Wicker reports that Interim health director Dr. Jennifer Mullendore said in a June 11 briefing that it is important not “lose sight of the fact that we are in global pandemic. … COVID-19 is spreading in our community. This is a fact. It’s based on data. And there are real people who have been affected with COVID-19.”
Some key points from the briefing: 144 people are in isolation in the county, Buncombe will announce if someone who attended recent protests in Asheville tests positive, testing is recommended for some people who don’t have symptoms, more.
More: Coronavirus: 7 takeaways from Buncombe’s June 11 COVID-19 briefing
Nursing home testing
Buncombe County health officials are now calling for COVID-19 testing of all residents and health care personnel at local nursing homes regardless of whether they are showing symptoms of the illness.
Mackenzie Wicker reports that previously, the county health department declined to issue this guidance, because state officials had not yet done so. They recommended universal testing only in facilities that had experienced a lab-confirmed case of the illness.
This was despite a spike in local nursing home deaths and an agreement among elected and public health officials that universal testing in all facilities would be beneficial.
More areas are set to open on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Park managers announced that more openings will begin June 13, including bathrooms, although campgrounds and visitor centers remain closed in both states – the parkway stretches for 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to Cherokee, North Carolina.
Karen Chávez reports that some popular picnic areas opening include those at Craggy Gardens, Linville Falls and Mount Pisgah.
More: Blue Ridge Parkway opens more restrooms as COVID restrictions ease, visitation increases
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Southern restaurants ponder their futures
For two months, America ate at home. To stop the spread of the coronavirus, governors and mayors closed dining rooms. Restaurants that decided to stay open could only sell takeout.
By the end of May, when restaurants in nearly every state could reopen their dining rooms at half or a quarter capacity, some chose not to. Others closed permanently during the mandated shutdown. And many people are still not comfortable eating out.
Todd Price of USA TODAY Network’s American South project takes a look at eight restaurants across our region.
More: After struggling through COVID-19 shutdown, Southern restaurants ponder their futures
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