News

N.C. reports county's death toll at 29

By Lightning Reports, Published: May 9, 2020

Although Henderson County reported 218 covid-19 infections and 23 deaths in its latest coronavirus update on Friday, the state's covonavirus dashboard shows the county with 27 deaths and a state website tracking deaths in congregant care facilities reports a total of 29 deaths in four Henderson County facilities.

On Monday, Henderson County reported 230 cases and 26 deaths and the state website lowered the county's death toll by one, to 28.

All but 39 of the cases are associated with long-term care facilities. Seventy-two percent of those who have tested positive covid-19 are more than 60 years old. Countywide, 2,142 people have been tested, the covid-19 dashboard said.

The state Department of Health and Human Services on Friday updated its count of covid-19 deaths in long-term care facilities. The report showed 10 deaths at the Laurels of Hendersonville, nine each at Cherry Springs Village and Brian Center Health & Rehab and one at the Lodge at Mills River. The fatalities were patients or residents, not staff members, the NCDHHS report said.

This is not the first time there has been a discrepancy in the numbers reported by the county health department and the state DHHS. On April 18, the NCDHHS dashboard reported the county's death toll at six, while the health department reported 12 deaths. This time, the state is reporting a higher death toll.