COVID-19 UPDATE

Figures from Burke County Public Health Tuesday afternoon show 1-thousand-26 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Burke.

According to the county’s website, more than 75-percent of those testing positive are presumed recovered.

Figures from surrounding counties show Caldwell with 419 positive cases, Catawba with 825, and McDowell with 218.

Nursing Home Testing

The state department of health and human services is partnering with Omnicare, a CVS Health company to make COVID-19 testing available to residents and staff in all NC skilled nursing facilities.

Testing will begin in July and continue through August.

The department of health currently recommends that nursing homes having one or more cases test all staff and residents.

The new initiative further makes testing available to all nursing homes, in order to establish a baseline test of all residents and staff.

There are over 400 nursing homes in NC, with approximately 36-thousand residents and more than 30-thousand staff.

Man found Dead

A death investigation is underway after a man is found dead inside a vehicle in eastern Burke County just before midnight Sunday.

The Burke County Sheriff’s Office received a call from 4295 South Fork Avenue where reports say the man was discovered deceased from an apparent gunshot.

A news release from the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office identifies the victim as 29-year-old Donald Scott Young of Connelly Springs.

The release reports investigators learned Young was shot during a confrontation at a residence in the Sawmills area of Caldwell, and was then driven to the South Fork Avenue location.

Officials have identified suspects involved in the incident, and are still searching for 34-year-old James Allen Jones for questioning.

Anyone having information in the case is urged to call the Caldwell Sheriff’s Office

at 758-2324.

Stolen Car

A suspicious vehicle spotted by a McDowell deputy turns out to be stolen.

The vehicle was observed while the officer was patrolling in the area of the Tate Street Welcome Center on June 13th.

A check of the Mercury Mountaineer revealed it had been stolen from Avery County.

The driver, 37-year-old April Nicole Chrisawn of Montezuma was taken into custody and charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle.