COVID-19 UPDATE

Burke County Public Health reported the eighty-seventh and eighty-eighth COVID-19 related death Thursday afternoon.

Officials report both individuals were in their 70’s, and were hospitalized when they died from virus-related complications.

In addition, Burke public health reported 156 new positive cases Thursday, for a total of 7-thousand-70.

One thousand-441 cases are active, and 34 Burke County residents are hospitalized.

McDowell County reported 69 new virus cases yesterday afternoon with positives totaling 3-thousand-459.

569 people in McDowell County are quarantined.

Body Recovery

An elderly driver plunges into a Gaston County pond Wednesday evening just before 8:30.

Witnesses told authorities an elderly male driver crossed the road in front of them and went into the water.

Reports say witnesses attempted to rescue the man once he failed to surface.

Lincoln County dive team members assisted firefighters, and were able to locate the vehicle and found the victim in the back seat.

The NC Highway Patrol instructed divers to assist in removing the vehicle from the water using cables attached to wreckers.

Troopers are continuing their investigation.

Winter Wx

A snowy beginning to our weekend in the as the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning until midnight.

Forecasters are predicting heavy wet snow, for the foothills and mountains making travel very difficult to impossible.

And officials say the snow could bring down power lines, causing scattered power outages.

The forecast is then calling for temperatures to fall into the 20’s tonight causing slippery road conditions to persist well into the weekend following the storm.

Emergency officials urge motorists to only travel in an emergency; and if you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle.