From Staff Reports

Buncombe County’s positivity rate for COVID-19 dropped to 7.5 percent on Jan. 26, a decrease of 1.3 percent points based on a seven-day average,  Buncombe Public Health Director Stacie Saunders told the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners in a local pandemic update at its Jan. 26 meeting.

Saunders also addressed the status of coronavirus vaccine supplies and provided an update on “the county’s outreach efforts to communities of black, indigenous and people of color,” aka BIPOC.

Regarding the pandemic’s impact in Buncombe, she said that, as of Jan. 26, “at local hospitals, 11.4 percent of inpatient beds are occupied with COVID-19 pateints, and 29 percent of ICU (intensive care unit)  beds are occupied with COVID-19 patients.”

As for the coronavirus vaccination effort, Saunders said, “As of yesterday (Jan. 25), Buncombe County Health and Human Services has administered approximately 7,500 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

“Of those, approximately 7,000 are first doses and 500 are second doses. Currently, about 2,000 first doses are available, and will be used for the 1,912 appointments scheduled through Jan. 29. 

“On Jan. 27, BCHHS will receive 975 doses, and in accordance with new state guidelines, all 975 doses will be administered by Feb 1,” Saunders said.

“The new Department of Health and Human Services guidance outlines that shipments received on Tuesday or Wednesday (of any week) must be used by the following Monday. The state will begin announcing vaccine allotments three weeks,” Saunders asserted.

On a third topic, Saunders told the commissioners, “To help address equity gaps in the state’s vaccine phases, BCHHS is adding additional and targeted outreach to BIPOC communities. 

“Along with language access, like American Sign Language and Spanish-language interpretation for COVID updates, the county is working with Mountain Mobility to provide free transportation to vaccine locations. Those in need of a ride can call” 250-6750.

Meanwhile, “North Carolina added 3,978 new COVID-19 cases to its dashboard Jan. 26, the fewest since Dec. 29 and the first time in 2021 that the state has added fewer than 4,000 daily cases,” the Asheville Citizen Times reported on Nov. 27.

“The addition increased the total in the state to 727,423 since the start of the pandemic. 

“As of Jan. 23, COVID-19 deaths in the state totaled 8,776.

“In Buncombe County, another 96 cases Jan. 25 increased the new total to 12,833 and a total of 247 deaths,” the ACT noted.

The latest confirmed case counts and COVID-19 deaths among Western North Carolina counties, according to NCDHHS, as of Jan. 14,  are as follows:

Avery: 1,628 cases, 16 deaths.

Buncombe: 12,422 cases, 244 deaths.

Cherokee: 1,735 cases, 16 deaths.

Clay: 552 cases, 5 deaths.

Graham: 510 cases, 12 deaths.

Haywood: 3,073 cases, 76 deaths.

Henderson: 7,160 cases, 100 deaths.

Jackson: 2,840 cases, 20 deaths.

Macon: 2,080 cases, 12 deaths.

Madison: 1,101 cases, 24 deaths.

McDowell: 4,077 cases, 46 deaths.

Mitchell: 999 cases, 10 deaths.

Polk: 1,101 cases, 16 deaths.

Swain: 1,002 cases, 8 deaths.

Transylvania: 1,450 cases, 13 deaths.

Watauga: 3,183 cases, 23 deaths.