AppHealthCare announced that a seventh Watauga County resident tested positive for COVID-19. This individual had travel history and is recovering. The local health department staff have identified close contacts, who have been quarantined.

”Every moment we have experienced to date and those we face ahead will challenge us. We have a new sense of normal, and yet, we know our community is resilient. We can focus on practicing self-care and caring for others during this time when many things in this situation are out of our control,” AppHealthCare Health Director Jennifer Greene said in a press release.

The press release states that at both the state and local level, positive cases of COVID-19 are represented and counted in a person’s place of residence. COVID-19 is a required, reportable illness to public health and we work closely with healthcare providers to ensure we are informed of cases

“Each of us can do our part by avoiding gathering in groups of 10 or more and following all the local and state orders. You can also call a neighbor to see if they need help meeting their basic needs that could be dropped at the doorstep or consider contributing your time or other resources to help with the many community efforts underway,” Greene said.

According to AppHealthCare, an increasing positive case count is only part of the picture since most people who become sick can follow the current public health guidelines to call their health care provider. In most cases, people who become ill may not be tested and will isolate themselves at home. For these reasons, it is important for people to stay home as much as possible to decrease your chance of infection, and reduce the spread and impact in our community.