Haywood County Public Health received notice May 15, that a 24th Haywood County resident has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The individual is in isolation at home.

Haywood County Public Health received notice May 6 that a 19th Haywood County resident has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The individual is in isolation at home. This individual was exposed eight days prior to symptom onset. 

Less than five weeks after issuing a “stay home” order and barely three weeks after extending it, Haywood County commissioners approved a resolution today to terminate their countywide order and told Gov. Roy Cooper they hope he’ll do the same with his statewide order when it comes up for possible renewal May 8.

Despite being mostly spared from large numbers of COVID-19 diagnoses, Haywood County's totals have continued to grow slowly in recent days and have more than doubled since April 28.

Results from large-scale testing designed to gauge the level of asymptomatic coronavirus carriers among front-line workers at essential businesses conducted by Haywood County’s Department of Health and Human Services last Tuesday were released by the county earlier today.

After more than a month of COVID-related social distancing, self-isolation, business and school closures, travel bans and enforced quarantines for non-residents, some Western North Carolina residents are saying they’ve had enough.

Haywood County Public Health received notice April 17 that a fifth Haywood County resident has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. The individual is in isolation at home since the exposure to the virus.

Officer Megan Taylor is the community outreach officer in Canton, working primarily in investigations but also on patrol at times. In her role, she bridges the gap between the agency and the community.

Our community — along with communities around the world — is navigating unprecedented challenges as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread. The cycle of our lives and neighborhoods has been altered, and we are all working to accommodate an ever-changing new normal. Fear and uncertainty complicate our collective abilities to do this.  

For weeks now, people have been asking why a county of 60,000 people like Haywood hadn’t yet reported a case of COVID-19, even as national, state and local leaders have cautioned that it’s a “when, not if” proposition.

According to a press release issued by the Haywood County Sheriff’s office around 11:15 this morning, that “when” is now.