COVID-19 UPDATE

Catawba County Public Health has identified a new outbreak of Covid-19 at a

congregate care center.  Brian Center East has four residents that have tested

positive for the virus.  This is the 10^th congregate care facility in the County with

an outbreak.  Yesterday, Catawba reported 23 new cases of Covid-19 for a

cumulative total of 2 thousand 3 hundred 24.  1 thousand, 7 hundred 72 patients

have recovered and 16 are hospitalized.  Caldwell County was notified Friday of

the 17^th Covid-19 related death.  The patient was over 75 years of age and was

reported to have underlying medical conditions.  Caldwell had 9 new cases of

Covid on Friday for a total of 1 thousand 2 hundred 65.  6 hundred 82 patients

have recovered and 17 patients are hospitalized.  Burke County now has 1

thousand 8 hundred 49 Covid-19 cumulative cases.  1 thousand 5 hundred 39

have recovered and 7 patients are hospitalized.  McDowell County had 8 new

cases of Covid-19 Friday for a cumulative total of 6 hundred 79.  4 hundred 27

patients of that total have recovered.

Schools To Open  

Schools across the area are set to open today, some with remote learning only,

and others with blended learning approaches.  Both the Burke County Public

Schools and the Hickory City Schools will be remote learning through September

11^th.  In Caldwell County, approximately 84 hundred students will return to

campuses today with two days a week of face to face instruction and three days

of remote learning.  More than 25 percent of the students in Caldwell are

enrolled in a full remote option.  Catawba County will also have two day a week

classroom instruction and 3 days remote learning, as well as the students in Avery

County.  There is a 100 percent online option for Catawba County students and

Avery County students, also.  McDowell County Schools are opening today with

a hybrid plan that allows families the choice of face to face instruction or a

100% remote option. 

Air Rescue in Gorge  

Burke County Search and Rescue says they are seeing a lot more recreational

traffic as within the matter of hours, three calls were dispatched Sunday

afternoon.  Search and Rescue Teams were first called to aide an injured climber

near the area of the Amphitheatre in the Linville Gorge.   The climber had fallen

against a rock while hiking the approach receiving an injury to the upper leg. 

Rescuers said an air extraction was the best option. The NC National Guard

provided a Blackhawk helicopter and crew for the rescue.  While rescuers were on

the scene, two additional rescues were dispatched in the county.  Assisting with

the rescues were the Burke County EMS, Burke County Special Ops, Burke County

Emergency Management, Burke County Emergency Operations Center, NC

Emergency Management, USFS, NCHART and the North Carolina National Guard.

Water Problems  

Heavy rainfall over the weekend resulted in one local government declaring a

State of Emergency.  The Catawba County Commissioners declared a State of

Emergency at 7:51 a.m. Saturday after 3 to 10 inches of rain fell in the Big Dawg

listening area.  The NC Department of Transportation lists the Snow Creek Road

North East and Kool Park Road as closed due to the excessive rainfall and

infrastructure damage.  Swift water rescues were made along the Snow Creek

and Falling Creek areas in Eastern Catawba County.  6 apartments on 13^th Street

North West in Conover were damaged by water.  In Hickory, 1 hundred 13

thousand gallons of untreated waste water was discharged into Snow Creek due

to infrastructure failure.  60 thousand gallons of water was discharged into Falling

Creek and 12 hundred gallons of untreated waste water was discharged into

Clarks Creek.  The City of Hickory says the water supply remains safe after the

overflows.