COVID-19 UPDATE

COVID-19 numbers continue to steadily climb as counties in the Catawba Valley are still seeing increases.

Burke County dashboard figures show a total case number now at 15-thousand-767, with 89 new cases in the last two days.

603 cases are still active, while 41 Burke residents remain hospitalized.

McDowell County reported 32 new cases Thursday for a total of 8-thousand-565.

222 individuals in McDowell are quarantined.

Caldwell County reports 108 new cases of COVID in the last week for a total of 15-thousand-33.

27 people in Caldwell are still in the hospital.

And Catawba County saw 391 new cases of the virus in the last week for a total there of 24-thousand-471.

Catawba still has 46 hospitalized with COVID-19.

Patton Lockdown

A Burke high school was placed on soft lockdown for a short time Thursday morning.

Patton was under a soft lockdown beginning just after 8 o'clock because of a threat circulated on social media, reports say.

School officials declined to release specifics of the threat, but did determine a short time later that the threat was not credible.

A press release says a student became uneasy after seeing the social media post, and further alerted school officials.

Patton was then placed on soft lockdown with school resource officers alerted to the situation, and extra officers on campus.

The threat was investigated, and was determined to be an old post that had originated in Arizona. Reports say Patton High was not involved or mentioned in the post.

The lockdown ended shortly after 9 am.

Thursday marked the second time in three weeks that a Burke school was placed on lockdown due to an online threat.

Fatality

A Newton man was killed Wednesday in a single-car crash in Catawba County.

Reports with the State Highway Patrol say the crash occurred shortly after 9 Thursday morning on NC 150 near Grassy Creek Road.

A ’93 Ford dump truck was traveling west, crossed the center line, ran off the roadway and struck several trees.

The driver, 72-year-old Curtis Junior Miles died at the scene according to the investigating trooper.

Reports indicate there may have been a medical condition that caused the collision.

Flu Shots

With cooler weather on the way, area health officials say now is the time to get an annual flu shot.

Typically, flu season begins circulating in higher numbers from October to May.

Although it is a common illness in the fall and winter months, the flu can cause serious health complications, even death.

Last year, masking, distancing, and other measures to prevent COVID-19 helped reduce the spread of the flu, as our area experienced few cases.

It’s especially important to get the flu shot, health experts say, as those who receive the shot are less likely to contract the flu.

Also those who do get the flu are less likely to experience serious complications that may require hospitalization once immunized.

This helps the medical system avoid becoming overwhelmed with both COVID-19 and flu cases at the same time.

Flu shots are available at many physician offices and pharmacies throughout the Catawba Valley.

For those who do not have a medical provider or who wish to obtain the flu shot at Public Health, contact your local health department.