COVID-19 UPDATE

NC Health officials reported the lowest single-day COVID-19 case numbers in two weeks, while Burke County public health reported lower numbers as well this Monday.

There were 29 additional positives reported from Sunday, with hospitalizations down also – 19 Burke residents remain hospitalized with the virus. 

Burke’s total cases now amount to 5-thousand-542.

Beginning today, the Burke County Health Department will not be performing any COVID-19 testing through January 1^st due to holiday closings.

Testing though will resume Monday January 4^th.

Officials with the Burke Health Department say even though there will be no testing starting today and lasting through new year’s, the staff will continue to receive lab reports and doing contact tracing during the holiday period.

Vaccine 2^nd Shipment

The state is entering its second week receiving and distributing shipments of COVID-19 vaccines; while several area facilities are slated to receive more dosages.

CHS-Blue Ridge in Morganton, Caldwell Memorial in Lenoir, and Catawba Valley Medical Center and Frye Regional in Hickory are scheduled to receive 975 units at each facility.

An official with the NC Health and Human Services says the federal government allocated 61-thousand-425 Pfizer doses to NC for the week.

Reports say the allocation is based on county population, number of acute ICU beds for hospitals, and the ability to manage Pfizer’s shipping requirements.

BB Pellet Death

An accidental shooting in Alexander County involving a BB gun killed an 8-year-old boy Sunday.

Reports say the incident happened at a home in the Stony Point community in which two boys, ages 7 and 8, were shooting a BB gun and a pellet rifle at targets near the residence.

The victim, reports say, was struck in the chest with a single pellet shot.

EMS transported the boy to Iredell Memorial, and he was later being transported to Brenner’s Children’s hospital in Winston Salem when he went into cardiac arrest.

EMS personnel diverted to Davie Medical Center where the boy died from his injuries.

Initial findings from the investigation appear to indicate the shooting was accidental; however, investigators continue to look into the incident.