Macon County COVID-19 numbers rise after 'cluster' identified at Franklin church

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By Lee Buchanan, The Franklin Press

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  • COVID-19 Update
    COVID-19 Update
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FRANKLIN, N.C.--The number of active COVID-19 cases in Macon County has risen to 13 after the health department identified a “cluster” of positive cases among worshippers at a Franklin church.

Seven members of Evangelical Ebenezer’s congregation have tested positive, according to Macon County Public Health officials.

“All members of the congregation are aware of their exposure and are currently being contacted for testing,” the health department said in a release. “All members of the congregation have also been given instructions to quarantine until they receive a negative test result; those who test positive will be given isolation orders for 14 days.”

 “MCPH is working to identify additional close contacts of these individuals,” the health department said. “… Based on information provided by the individuals, county health officials will assess risks of exposure, determine which if any additional measures are needed such as temperature and symptom checks, quarantine and/or testing.”

The new cases bring Macon total of positive cases to 16: 13 active, two recovered and one death.

Macon County Public Health has been responding to criticism and questions on social media about why the church was identified when a local business that had multiple employees test positive has not been named.

“NC general statutes allow us to release the name of the connected organization because this is considered a cluster,” the health department said. “If five or more individuals connected to the previously mentioned essential business test positive, then it will also be considered a cluster and will be named.”

The N.C. Department of Health defines clusters of COVID-19 in “workplace, educational and other community settings as a minimum of five cases with illness onsets or initial positive results within a 14-day period and plausible linkage between cases where cases were present in the same setting during the same time-period (e.g., same shift, same classroom, same physical work area); that the timing fits with likely timing of exposure; and that there is no other more likely source of exposure for identified cases (e.g., household or close contact to a confirmed case in another setting).”