Sixty people were diagnosed with COVID-19 at an Orange County nursing home, prompting Governor Cooper to sign an executive order imposing restrictions on long-term care facilities in the state. 

The nursing home, identified as PruittHealth-Carolina Point, had two patients die from the virus. Seven more remain hospitalized.

Of the 21 outbreaks state officials have identified across the state; 18 are in long-term care facilities.

In response, Cooper signed an executive order imposing stricter protections on nursing homes that include closing common areas, requiring staff member wear masks and undergo daily health screenings and mandatory reporting of all suspected cases to the state health department. 

Visitors to those facilities will also be restricted. 

Orange County state representative Graig Meyer urged the community to follow Cooper’s stay-at-home order.

“It is incumbent on everyone in Orange County and across North Carolina to be diligent in following Governor Cooper and Secretary Cohen’s guidelines of sheltering in place, social distancing, and proper hygiene practices,” Meyer said in a press statement. “We all play a vital role in slowing the spread of this disease.” 

Cooper announced Tuesday he planned to sign a series of executive orders this week, ensuring childcare for essential workers and providing a stipend for teachers and daycare staff.  Other coming orders, Cooper said, will lift regulations to increase the number of hospital beds available and direct FEMA funding toward temporary housing for homeless individuals living in shelters requiring quarantine. 

As of Wednesday afternoon, 1,450 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in North Carolina. Fifty-eight have died. There have been more than 400,000 cases nationally and more than 14,000 deaths. Worldwide over 1.5 million have become infected with the virus and there have been more than 87,000 fatalities. 

Contact Raleigh news editor Leigh Tauss at ltauss@indyweek.com. 

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