CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nursing homes and residential care facilities make up more than half of North Carolina’s more than 600 deaths from the Coronavirus.
Now, the state wants to test every person who lives or works in those facilities.
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The latest outbreak in Cabarrus County is at the Universal Healthcare in Concord where a staffer and three residents have tested positive for the virus.
Channel 9 was there Friday afternoon when county officials were testing all residents and staff.
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In Mint Hill, MEDIC was helping Mecklenburg County’s Health Department test all of the residents at Mint Hill Senior Living after there was a problem with tests that a private lab completed Monday.
The increase in testing comes after the White House ordered nursing homes and residential care facilities to test all of their residents if even one person tests positive.
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In North Carolina, almost 60% of the deaths from COVID-19 have been people who live in long-term care facilities.
Healthcare leaders told Channel 9 that the mandated testing is apart of a mission to limit exposure to the virus in facilities across the state.
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