Coronavirus cases rise to 34 in NC. Some local parks, libraries to close.

The number of coronavirus cases in North Carolina has jumped to 34 as state leaders hope more stringent precautionary measures will slow the spread of the disease.

The state Department of Health and Human Services posted on its website Sunday that the state now has 33 cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus. In addition, Wilson County reported Sunday it had its first COVID-19 case, along with a Campbell University student who reported a positive test on Monday. This brings the state’s total to at least 34 cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Sunday night that, for the next eight weeks, gatherings of 50 people or more should be canceled or postponed. The CDC said the guidance doesn’t apply to “the day to day operation of organizations such as schools, institutes of higher learning, or businesses.”

This comes after Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday there are more than 2,900 cases nationally.

Fourteen of the North Carolina cases are in Wake County, where several are connected to patients from the Raleigh biotech company Biogen who tested positive after attending a conference in Boston.

Additional information came out Sunday about some of the Wake County cases.

A Target spokeswoman confirmed that a Brier Creek Parkway employee in Raleigh tested positive for a case of the coronavirus. Target said they have since placed the employee, who is now quarantined, on paid leave. The retail company will now work to “deep clean and sanitize the store.”

On Sunday, Wake health officials said one of the new cases flew to Raleigh-Durham International Airport on March 8.

Wake officials say one of the other new cases attended the BrickUniverse LEGO Fan Convention at the Raleigh Convention Center from 2-4 p.m. on March 8. Anyone who was at the event during that time period is asked to call the county’s COVID-19 information line at 919-856-7044.

Mecklenburg County has the next most with four cases.

Others are in Forsyth, Durham, Chatham, Johnston, Cabarrus, Harnett, Onslow, Wayne, Brunswick, Craven, Wilson and Watuaga counties.

DHHS and local health officials reported 26 cases on Saturday. Of the seven new cases, three are in Wake, two are in Mecklenburg and one is in Watauga and one in Wilson.

The weekend has been quiet with many events being canceled as a result of Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order on Saturday banning large gatherings of 100 or more people. His order also closes the state’s K-12 public schools through March 27.

Events canceled due to coronavirus

Cooper said he had to act because people were ignoring his prior guidance to cancel, modify or postpone gatherings of more than 100 people.

“This is a risk we cannot tolerate,” Cooper said. “No concert is worth the spread of this pandemic.”

The governor’s order had an impact Sunday at Catholic and Protestant churches, with some canceling services outright. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh canceled all Masses and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte canceled Masses at larger churches.

Several large churches choose to stream their sermons online. Some smaller churches did too or kept the doors open while encouraging people who are sick or at risk to stay home.

At Haven Free Will Baptist Church there were no ushers or greeters, the offering plate wasn’t passed around and, hardest of all, there were no handshakes or hugs. Just 16 people sat in the wooden pews at the southwest Raleigh church Sunday morning.

On Sunday, Susan G. Komen suspended the 2020 Triangle Race for the Cure scheduled for May 2. The group said it’s exploring all possible options to reschedule or convert the race to a virtual experience. Thousands participate annually in the race, which is the group’s signature fundraising event.

Also on Sunday, multiple local government agencies announced closures.

Durham County announced that all libraries are closed until further notice. Wake County Public Libraries and facilities at county parks will be closed beginning Monday through March 27.

All Town of Cary Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources facilities are closed and programming, including classes, events and camps, are canceled until further notice.

Wake Forest also announced Monday that parks, recreation and cultural resource facilities, including Flaherty Park Community Center and Alston-Massenburg Center are closed. Classes, camps and events are canceled until at least April 6. All Wake Forest parks and greenways will remain open to the public, however.

The City of Raleigh announced Sunday that the Five Point Active Adult Center, Anne Gordon Center for Active Adults and Walnut Terrace Center will be closed through April 15. The city also canceled its before and after school programs, city-wide active adult programs, and specialized recreation programs. Its youth and adult athletic leagues were postponed until April 13.

The City of Durham tweeted Sunday that it is canceling Monday’s City Council meeting and Thursday’s council work session to help prevent the spread of the disease.

Many events, locally and nationally have previously been canceled due to the disease.

The NHL and NBA have suspended their seasons, and the NCAA and ACC canceled their basketball tournaments. The Masters and other golf tournaments and the Boston Marathon were postponed, and NASCAR has put off upcoming races in Atlanta and Miami.

The Dreamville music festival in Raleigh was postponed from April to August. “Les Miserables” canceled at the Durham Performing Arts Center. And the City of Raleigh announced that all large events planned for its facilities would be canceled or postponed through April 15, effectively shuttering the Raleigh Convention Center and Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

The state’s first case on March 3 involved a Wake County man who tested positive. Officials say he was exposed at a long-term care facility in Kirkland, Washington, the site of an outbreak, and then returned to North Carolina.

Since then, multiple counties have reported cases. State health officials say the number will only continue to grow.

Coronavirus is primarily a respiratory disease, with symptoms similar to seasonal flu. According to the CDC, symptoms of coronavirus include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

President Donald Trump declared a national emergency on March 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic, opening the door for the federal government to offer some funding help for state and local governments working to stem the spread of illness. Cooper declared a state of emergency in North Carolina, making the state eligible for federal emergency funding.

People with questions or concerns about COVID-19 can call the state’s phone line at 866-462-3821.

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This story was originally published March 15, 2020 at 10:51 AM with the headline "Coronavirus cases rise to 34 in NC. Some local parks, libraries to close.."