No Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 to Date
Contrary to rumors, as of Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 12:00 noon, there are no cases of patients with COVID-19, nor have there been any, at CarolinaEast Medical Center.
CarolinaEast officials have been and will continue to work closely with the North Carolina State Division of Public Health (NC DHHS) and local health departments to coordinate preparation and response efforts to COVID-19 in accordance with guidelines from The Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
CarolinaEast encourages the public to follow the guidelines provided by the CDC in regards to proper hand hygiene, travel, social gatherings, etc., which can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/.
CarolinaEast Medical Center Further Restricting Visitation
Visitors Limited to Two Immediate Family Members Age 12 and Over
CarolinaEast Medical Center is expanding visitor restrictions to help prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In light of Governor Cooper’s declaration of a state of emergency in North Carolina due to the virus, CarolinaEast is taking this additional measure to protect patients, staff and visitors.
Effective immediately, only immediate family members age 12 and over and not exhibiting any symptoms of illness may visit CarolinaEast Medical Center. This applies to all areas of the hospital. In addition, all patients are limited to only two visitors at once. This standard will apply even if visitors are healthy and regardless of their age. Existing visitation restrictions already apply to all children under 12 due to the ongoing flu season visitor restrictions that remain in effect.
Any and all visitors, including family members, with flu-like symptoms such as fever and new or worsening cough or shortness of breath will not be allowed in patient areas to help control the spread of illnesses. Nursing staff and the attending physician will work with families who have special circumstances, such as critically ill or injured family member, on a case-by-case basis.
This is a rapidly evolving situation and CarolinaEast Health System will take additional steps to help control the spread of COVID-19 as necessary. CarolinaEast recognizes that interacting with family and friends is important to the healing process and encourages everyone to utilize other forms of support for their loved ones, such as phone calls and video chats on cell phones or other mobile devices. CarolinaEast appreciates the public’s support in following the recommended guidelines to help prevent the spread of disease.
Submitted by: Brandy Popp, Manager, Public Relations and Outreach, CarolinaEast Health System