NEWS

Cumberland County schools, childcare centers, nursing homes experience COVID-19 clusters

Steve DeVane
The Fayetteville Observer
This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in January 2020 shows the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). This virus was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China, and that has since spread across the globe.

Six schools and six childcare facilities in Cumberland County have had clusters of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, state records show.

Outbreaks of the disease also have taken place recently in 13 nursing homes and similar facilities, according to records posted on the state Department of Health and Human Services website. COVID-19 outbreaks also have happened at jails in Bladen, Harnett, Lee, Robeson and Sampson counties, the records show.

The department posts a report about clusters of COVID-19 cases in schools and childcare facilities each Tuesday. A separate report of outbreaks at nursing homes, residential care facilities and correctional facilities also is posted on that day each week.

The department defines a cluster as five or more cases. An outbreak is two or more cases.

A cluster or outbreak is considered over if there is no evidence of continued transmission of the disease for four weeks.

Related:Health officials continue push for COVID-19 vaccines as numbers rise in Cumberland County

Three public schools, two private schools and a charter school in Cumberland County have had COVID-19 clusters, according to a report posted Tuesday.

The report shows that there have been 14 cases at Beaver Dam Elementary School, seven cases at Jack Britt High School, and six at Cape Fear High School.

The Cumberland County Schools website shows that from Sept. 10 to Sept. 16, there were more than 250 COVID-19 cases in the school system. The school system reports cases to the county Health Department, which forwards the information to the state.

Berean Baptist Academy and Cornerstone Christian Academy each have had five cases.

Alpha Academy has had six cases.

Fayetteville Christian School, a private school, had a cluster of six cases that is considered over, according to the report.

More:Fayetteville VA notifies patients of administering expired COVID-19 vaccines

Childcare facilities in Cumberland County with COVID-19 clusters and the numbers of cases are:

  • Sunshine House -- Cliffdale Road, 17 cases,
  • Rainbow School, 14 cases,
  • Sunshine House of Fayetteville, nine cases,
  • Center Baptist Daycare, eight cases,
  • Gracie’s Childcare and Learning, six cases, and
  • Burns Day Care and Pre-school, five cases.

Eight nursing homes and five residential care facilities in Cumberland County have had COVID-19 outbreaks, according to a report posted Tuesday.

The State Veterans Home in Fayetteville has had 22 cases, the report showed. Woodlands Nursing and Rehabilitation Center has had 11 cases, including one person who died, it said.

Bethesda Health Care, Haymount Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, and Village Green Health and Rehabilitation have each had three cases, according to the report. Golden Years Nursing Home, Highland House Rehabilitation and Healthcare, and Whispering Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Center have each had two cases.

Residential care facilities in Cumberland County with outbreaks and the numbers of cases are: 

  • Carolina Inn at Village Green, seven cases,
  • Hope Mills Retirement Center, seven cases,
  • Heritage Suites, four cases,
  • Cumberland Village Assisted Living, two cases, and
  • The Addison of Fayetteville, two cases.

The Harnett County Detention Center has had 90 COVID-19 cases, according to the report. Other correctional facilities in the Cape Fear region and the numbers of COVID-19 cases are:

  • Sampson County Detention Center, seven cases,
  • Lee County Jail, four cases,
  • Bladen County Jail, three cases, and
  • Robeson County Detention Center, three cases.

A separate report from the state DHHS showed that in North Carolina, COVID-19 cases associated with clusters in schools are at the highest level since the start of the pandemic. The number of cases increased in August, it said.

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Staff writer Steve DeVane can be reached at sdevane@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3572.