3 new coronavirus cases reported in Wake County
Three more people in Wake County have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, state health officials said Sunday.
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported Sunday there are now 14 cases of COVID-19 in Wake County out of more than 30 cases statewide. That’s three more cases in Wake than reported Saturday.
Wake County said Sunday the three new cases started showing symptoms between March 6 and 11. The CDC says COVID-19 is most likely to be transmitted when affected people are symptomatic.
On March 8, a resident flew to Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Also on March 8, a resident attended the BrickUniverse Lego Fan Convention at the Raleigh Convention Center from 2-4 p.m. 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.
“Because the crowd was so large and so mobile, we have no way to identify who came in close contact with this person during the LEGO convention,” said Dr. Jose Cabanas, the county’s EMS Director/Medical Director, said in a news release. “We need the community’s help to determine who was potentially at risk of exposure to the virus.”
No information was provided on the third new case.
Wake public health staff said they believe there is little risk to anyone who came in contact with the affected people at any other locations since they were not symptomatic or in close contact with others. Since these are not locations of concern, Wake County is not releasing their names.
Also on Sunday, a Target spokesperson 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.”
It was not immediately clear if the Target case is among the three new cases or is connected with any of the prior cases.
Wake County health officials had confirmed two cases on Saturday, including a teacher at Fuquay-Varina Elementary School.
A number of the Wake County cases are connected to patients from Biogen who tested positive after attending a conference in Boston.
On Saturday, Gov. Roy Cooper announced an executive order stopping mass gatherings of more than 100 people. He also directed that K-12 public schools across the state to close for two weeks, starting March 16.
This story was originally published March 15, 2020 at 11:02 AM with the headline "3 new coronavirus cases reported in Wake County."
