Two Cherokee County residents have died from complications of COVID-19. One individual was in their late-forties, and the other individual is was in their mid-seventies. These are the 106th and 107th COVID-19 related deaths in Cherokee County.

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 5 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and once you stop isolating, you should wear a mask for 5 additional days.

It is also recommended that household and close contacts of persons with a respiratory type illness should quarantine according to latest CDC guidance to limit the potential spread of COVID-19.

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.

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

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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 https://www.facebook.com/cchdnc.gov.

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.