CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reversed its stance and agreed to name congregate care facilities with COVID-19 outbreaks Monday. The newly released records reveal nearly 480 cases in Charlotte-area facilities and 42 deaths. Citadel Salisbury is home to the largest outbreak in the state with 144 cases and 10 deaths, according to NCDHHS records.
"As this pandemic evolves, we will continue to assess the appropriateness of data reporting to balance transparency, public health and individual privacy," Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said. "We want to make sure that the information is standardized. We saw a patchwork quilt of information released across the state. We hope this will be helpful to folks as we go forward."
Monday's announcement followed mounting pressure from advocates and journalists across the state.
Earlier this month, Mecklenburg County reversed its own decision and began naming facilities localized to Mecklenburg County.
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In addition to naming facilities, including nursing homes and long-term care facilities, NCDHHS also identified the total number of positive cases and number of deaths at each location. Dr. Cohen said the state will update the numbers twice per week.
For much of this pandemic, families have remained at the mercy of nursing homes and health departments to keep them informed. That system proved inconsistent and inefficient at times.
The AARP of North Carolina sent a letter to the governor last week requesting more transparency. AARP Manager of Advocacy Lisa Riegel said information is critical when it comes to caregiving.
"There's already stress with caregiving and then you pile this on top of it and we've got to do whatever we can to make it less stressful and support our caregivers," Riegel said. "They really need to know during this time of COVID whether their loved one's facility is affected or not. Because they're going to be more transparent and release this information, you're not going to have that uncertainty."
In an interview with WCNC Charlotte earlier this month, Dr. Cohen left the door open for the state to name congregate living facilities with outbreaks at some point.
State records show about half of North Carolina's COVID-19 deaths stems from nursing home and long-term care facilities.
An outbreak is defined as two or more cases.
List of North Carolina congregate care facilities with COVID-19 coronavirus outbreaks
As of Monday, April 27, 2020
Facility / County / Facility Type / Confirmed Cases / Deaths
Pine Forest Rest Home / Northampton / Residential Care Facility / 27 / 1
Verra Springs at Heritage Greens / Guilford / Residential Care Facility / 5 / 0
Cherry Springs Village / Henderson / Residential Care Facility / 53 / 7
Spring Arbor of Albermale / Stanly / Residential Care Facility / 6 / 3
Brookdale Berkeley Blvd / Wayne / Residential Care Facility / 5 / 0
Brookedale Country Day / Wayne / Residential Care Facility / 3 / 1
The Social at Cotswold / Mecklenburg / Residential Care Facility / 23 / 3
Residential Services Inc / Orange / Residential Care Facility / 9 / 0
Forsynthia Group Home / Mecklenburg / Residential Care Facility / 3 / 0
Woodridge Assisted Living Facility / Union / Residential Care Facility / 27 / 2
The Laurels in the Villege, Pineville / Mecklenburg / Residential Care Facility / 2 / 0
Shelburne Place / Mecklenburg / Residential Care Facility / 15 / 0
Elmcroft of Harrisburg / Carbarrus / Residential Care Facility / 2 / 0
Charlotte Square / Mecklenburg / Residential Care Facility / 11 / 0
Suburban Guardianship Concord / Cabarrus / Residential Care Facility / 2 / 0
ResCare Group Home - Men / Rutherford / Residential Care Facility / 6 / 0
Canyon Hills Treatment Facility / Hoke / Residential Care Facility / 13 / 0
Tabor Commons / Columbus / Residential Care Facility / 4 / 0
Spring Arbor of Kinston / Lenior / Residential Care Facility / 4 / 0
Brian Center Health & Rehav/Hendersonville / Henderson / Nursing Home / 30 / 4
Pruitt Health-Carolina Point Grace Heights Health and Rehav / Orange / Nursing Home / 108 / 11
Pruitt Health-Carolina Point / Orange / Nursing Home / 108 / 11
Grace Heights Health and Rehab / Burke / Nursing Home / 59 / 6
Durham VA Community Living Center / Durham / Nursing Home / 3 / 0
Pavilion Health Center at Brightmore / Mecklenburg / Nursing Home / 3 / 0
Pinehurst HealthCare & Rehab / Moore / Nursing Home / 65 / 3
Springbrook Nursing and Rehab / Johnston / Nursing Home / 65 / 7
Liberty Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center of Columbus County / Columbus / Nursing Home / 12 /1
Cleveland Pines / Cleveland / Nursing Home / 12 /1
The Laurels of Chatham / Chatham / Nursing Home / 67 / 5
Signature HealthCARE / Orange / Nursing Home / 52 / 2
Lousiburg Healthcare and Rehab Center / Franklin / Nursing Home / 62 / 14
Five Oaks Manor Rehab / Cabarrus / Nursing Home / 74 / 6
The Citadel at Salisbury / Rowan / Nursing Home / 144 / 10
Huntersville Oaks / Mecklenburg / Nursing Home / 2 / 0
Village Care of King / Stokes / Nursing Home / 2 / 0
Monroe Rehab Center / Union / Nursing Home / 35 / 3
LongLeaf Neuro-Medical Treatment Center / Wilson / Nursing Home / 30 /1
Mount Olive Center / Wayne / Nursing Home / 31 / 4
Village Green Health & Rehab / Cumberland / Nursing Home / 20 / 2
Alston Brook / Davidson / Nursing Home / 41 / 2
NC State Veterans Home - Salisbury / Rowan / Nursing Home / 16 / 3
Wellington Rehab and Healthcare / Wake / Nursing Home / 49 / 6
Peak Resources-Outer Banks / Dare / Nursing Home / 6 / 1
Hunter Woods Nursing & Rehab / Mecklenburg / Nursing Home / 4 / 0
Carrington Place, Matthews / Mecklenburg / Nursing Home / 18 / 1
Durham Nursing & Rehabilitation Center / Durham / Nursing Home / 95 / 7
Premier Living & Rehab Center / Columbus / Nursing Home / 11 /2
Autumn Care - Cornelius / Mecklenburg / Nursing Home / 53 / 10
Treyburn Rehab & Nursing / Durham / Nursing Home / 33 / 3
Sunnybroke Rehabilitation Center / Wake / Nursing Home / 26 / 1
The Lodge at Mills River / Henderson / Nursing Home / 2 / 0
Rich Square Nursing and Rehabilitation / Northampton / Nursing Home / 4 / 1
The Laurels of Hendersonville / Henderson / Nursing Home / 24 / 0
Three Rivers Health & Rehabilitation / Bertie / Nursing Home / 3 / 0
Autumn Care - Statesville / Iredell / Nursing Home / 2 / 0
White Oak Manor Tryon / Polk / Nursing Home / 2 / 0
Clapps Nursing Center / Guilford / Nursing Home / 6 /0
Universal Health Lillington / Harnett / Nursing Home / 41 / 1
Autumn Care - Saluda / Polk / Nursing Home / 2 / 0
Pelican Health Henderson / Vance / Nursing Home / 10 / 1
Liberty Commons Salsibury / Rowan / Nursing Home / 2/ 0
Hillcrest Convalescent Center / Durham / Nursing Home / 2/ 1
Camden Health & Rehab / Guilford / Nursing Home / 6 / 0
Autrumn Care - Drexel / Burke / Nursing Home / 5 / 1
Autumn Care - Marshallville / Union / Nursing Home / 2 / 0
NC State Veterans Home - Kinston / Lenior / Nursing Home / 4 / 1
Rivers Correction Institution / Herford / Correctional Facility / 24 / 0
Durham County Detention Center / Durham / Correctional Facility / 4 / 0
Atrium Rehabilitation Northeast / Cabarrus / Other Congregate Living Facility / 12 / 1
Rudd Straberry Farm / Guildford / Other Congregate Living Facility / 8 / 0
Salvation Army Homeless Shelter / Cabarrus / Other Congregate Living Facility / 2 / 0
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