COVID-19 Update

Burke County Public Health now reporting 9-thousand-174 positive cases

of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Active cases number 851, with

9 Burke individuals in the hospital.

McDowell County on Friday reported 23 new cases of coronavirus for

a total of 4-thousand-498, and 194 McDowell residents are in quarantine.

Caldwell County reported 57 new cases of the virus on Saturday, for a total

of 8-thousand-332, with 30 patients hospitalized.

Catawba County saw an increase of 32 positive cases of COVID-19 Sunday,

for a total of 16-thousand-499 and 43 Catawba residents are in the hospital.

Variant in NC

The State Department of Health and Human Services Thursday reported

the first identification of the COVID-19 variant B.1.351 in a North Carolina

resident. The variant was first detected back in October in South Africa

and in the United States in January. The variant case was identified in

a sample from an adult in the central part of the state who had not

recently traveled.

Two Arrested in Stolen Vehicle

Lincoln deputies arrested two people are reportedly fleeing officers in

a stolen vehicle. An SUV on Wednesday, accelerated on Highway 73,

fleeing a traffic stop by a deputy. The vehicle wrecked near the entrance

to Trilogy subdivision. The occupants fled on foot, and were later taken

into custody in the subdivision. Multiple charges were placed on Chase

De’Carlo Bruton of Charlotte and Emanuel Lamont Allen of Norwood.

Their SUV had been stolen from Albemarle. Assisting the Lincoln Sheriff’s

Office, were K-9’s from the Lincolnton Police Department, the Catawba

County Sheriff’s Office, and Lincoln Sheriff’s Office Drone team.