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N.C. Coronavirus Cases Pass 7,000, First Prison Death Reported

“Any death is a tragedy, and we must continue our efforts to do all we can to try and flatten the curve of COVID-19 in Prisons,” Todd Ishee, commissioner of prisons, said in a news release. “The health and safety of the staff and the men and women in our custody is of paramount importance.”

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(TNS) - Coronavirus cases in North Carolina rose past 7,000 Wednesday as the state reported its first state prison inmate to die from the pandemic.

A prisoner at Pender Correctional Institution in Burgaw died from COVID-19 complications, according to the state Department of Public Safety. He was in his 50s and suffered from unrelated health issues.

“Any death is a tragedy, and we must continue our efforts to do all we can to try and flatten the curve of COVID-19 in Prisons,” Todd Ishee, commissioner of prisons, said in a news release. “The health and safety of the staff and the men and women in our custody is of paramount importance.”

The updated case total shows a continued trend of slower spread statewide but a greater number of daily fatalities than in recent days.

NC DHHS reported 7,220 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 269 from Tuesday’s total. The death toll in North Carolina reached 242 people, up 29 from Tuesday. This reflects a higher growth than as recently as Saturday, when new fatalities came in at a dozen.

At Pender Correctional, the inmate who died began showing symptoms on April 8 and was quickly isolated, DPS reported. Testing came back positive two days later, and the inmate’s condition worsened.
The state women’s prison in Raleigh has also seen an outbreak, and two federal prisons in North Carolina also have cases. For more than a month, inmates’ advocates have repeatedly pushed for early release for nonviolent offenders.

The case count from DHHS represents the total number of people statewide who have tested positive for the virus. Not all people with COVID-19 are tested, so the number does not reflect everyone who has gotten sick. So far, North Carolina has conducted 90,336 tests, up more than 7,000 from Tuesday.

Access to testing remains a sticking point in the state and nationwide. The NC Nurse Association released a DHHS reports Tuesday recommending stay-home restrictions be kept intact, pointing out that the state has yet to provide easy and reliable testing or see a sustained drop in its caseload.

Also, the nurse association said, much of the state is still seeing a dangerously low supply of personal protective equipment, or PPE. DHHS reports that North Carolina has received more masks than it has requested from the national stockpile, but not enough gloves, gowns, coveralls or face shields. On Tuesday, Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry said in a press conference that gowns are needed the most.

Of the infected residents statewide, 434 are hospitalized. The virus has now spread to 93 of 100 counties.

Meanwhile, the state Department of Transportation said Wednesday it will start a public-private partnership using drones to deliver food and medical supplies.

In Holly Springs, for example, the private drone service Flytrex will take meals from multiple restaurants into nearby neighborhoods. This is designed to make it easier for residents to stay home.
“North Carolina has been a leader in demonstrating how drones can help people in times of crisis,” said State Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette in a news release. “We look forward to putting this technology into productive use as we work to help citizens and medical professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The News & Observer is keeping a separate case count based on reports from DHHS and county health departments, which tends to be higher because the state takes longer to confirm cases. As of Wednesday morning, that tally stood at 7,342 cases and 261 deaths.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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