Cherokee County announces third COVID-19 death

News, Press Release
resident work-related death
CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. – A Cherokee County resident that was reported to have COVID-19 has died from complications of COVID-19. This individual was in their late eighties. This is the third COVID-19 related death in Cherokee County.
This serves as an unfortunate reminder of the seriousness that surrounds COVID-19 and the potential impacts to those high-risk individuals. We as a community must do our part to help stop the spread of the virus by washing our hands, practicing social distancing and wearing a mask to help protect those most vulnerable to COVID-19. These are important preventative measures that we should all be taking any time we are in areas where maintaining 6 feet of distance may be difficult. It’s also important to remember that just because you feel well, doesn’t mean you can’t transmit the virus to others.
See the latest COVID-19 numbers for Cherokee here. 
Cherokee County Health Department emphasizes that anyone who becomes ill with a respiratory type illness to isolate until the following criteria are met:
• At least 24 hours have passed since recovery defined as resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath), AND
• At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
It is also recommended that household and close contacts of persons with a respiratory type illness should quarantine to the extent possible for 14 days and monitor for symptoms of a respiratory illness. If household or close contacts become sick during the 14 day monitoring period, it is advised that they then isolate until the criteria for discontinuation of isolation (listed above) are met.
In addition to isolating as instructed above, if you become sick with a respiratory type illness, please contact the Cherokee County Health Department at 828-837-7486 or your primary care provider to determine if you need to be tested.
Because COVID-19 is most commonly spread through respiratory droplets, individuals should take the same measures that health care providers recommend to prevent the spread of the flu and other viruses, including washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, staying home if you are sick and covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow. The CDC now recommends that cloth face coverings be worn in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies).
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about COVID-19 is coming directly from reliable sources like Cherokee County Health Department, CDC, and NCDHHS. For more information, please visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus and NCDHHS’ website at www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus, which will also include future positive COVID-19 test results in North Carolina.

Cherokee County Health Department regularly updates our Facebook page with accurate and current information regarding COVID-19, we encourage the public to check our Facebook page for up-to-date information at

Symptoms for COVID-19 have a wide range reported-ranging from mild to severe illness. Symptoms include: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea. If you are having a mild respiratory illness or exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19, isolate yourself from others until the criteria above is met. If your illness becomes severe requiring urgent or emergent health care, call and inform your health care provider or emergency services of your symptoms prior to arrival.
If you have questions, you may call the Health Department at 828-837-7486 during regular office hours which are Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM.

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