North Mecklenburg News

A state of emergency was declared Sunday after two more residents tested positive for the coronavirus, which led to no-contact meetings for the Charlotte City Council. 

The number of Mecklenburg County residents is at 11, with a state total of 63 as of Monday. After Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency, he asked that all gatherings be stopped, schools closed, and for businesses to allow their employees to work from home at maximum capacity.

The reduction in in-person meetings was called after city officials decided to take precautionary measures with the latest increase in positive cases. What this means is that the city officials will hold their meetings away from the audience members in an attempt to reduce the spread of the virus. The audience members will be required to follow the 6-feet rule, which requires residents to remain 6-feet apart. This will also greatly reduce the number of audience members allowed in attendance. The Charlotte Observer reported that a question went unanswered as to when the new guidelines would go into effect.

County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris stated that each of the positive residents is in quarantine away from the public, in the comfort of their own homes. It is unknown at this time if the positive cases of COVID-19 are related to travel, exposure, or community spread.

Mecklenburg is in need of more supplies for testing the COVID-19 virus. These tests are needed to figure out the spread of the virus as well as to detect new cases that are popping up. With the state of emergency in place, there is talk to release funds that will assist the county in fighting the pandemic that started in the U.S. on Jan. 21.  

Gaston County, which is neighbor to Mecklenburg, is also under a state of emergency as of Sunday. County leaders are looking into banning public events greater than 50 people in hopes to prevent the spread.