As cases climb, Cooper warns of consequences of virus spread

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — With North Carolina’s COVID-19 numbers reaching new highs, Gov. Roy Cooper warned the public Monday that public school building openings set for August could be delayed unless health precautions are taken seriously by everyone.

North Carolina recorded the highest one-day increase in cases over the weekend with 1,370, contributing to a total during the pandemic of nearly 36,500 as of Monday morning. North Carolina exceeded 1,000 virus-related deaths on Monday and had 740 patients currently hosptialized — also a new record.

While the number of completed tests has continued to grow robustly to more than 520,000 overall, state Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said North Carolina now ranks among the states with the highest percentage of positive cases.

“I am concerned,” Cohen said at a media briefing, adding that she received a call from White House coronavirus coordinator Deborah Birx on Friday to discuss the upward movement in data. The trends, Cohen said, are a “signal we need to take very seriously.”

Cooper and Cohen said people who have been in crowds to get tested, saying they may have been exposed to the virus. Tens of thousands have been on North Carolina streets over the past 10 days demonstrating against police brutality and for racial equality following the death of George Floyd.

“With all of the challenges we face opening schools, boosting our economy and tackling racism head on, we must remember that this virus is still out there and it can be deadly,” Cooper said. He also urged community leaders, including legislators, to set examples by wearing face masks and staying 6 feet (1.8 meters) away from others.

Cooper, Cohen and state education leaders unveiled interim guidance on Monday to the state’s public schools about safety provisions for teaching children when classes are slated to resume in August. Cooper shut down school buildings in March and they never reopened this school year.

The guidance requires schools to create three plans for instruction based on data trends in the coming weeks and months. Two of the plans require levels of social distancing at schools. The other would revert to remote learning again should trends continue to worsen. Cooper and DHHS will announce by July 1 how schools can safely reopen for the new year.

“Opening schools will depend on our health metrics,′ Cooper said. “We very much want to open the school buildings, but we won’t open them and make a reckless decision when it’s so important.”

Cohen suggested the continued growth in cases aligned with the start of the second phase of reopening commerce and easing mass gatherings on May 22, which meant more business and social interactions. Under Cooper’s executive order, barber shops and hair and nail salons are back open, and indoor dining within restaurants and breweries is partially open.

Cooper vetoed a measure Friday that would have essentially overturned parts of his executive order by allowing otherwise shuttered bars to serve patrons outside and expanded outdoor restaurant seating. Cooper said it would have made it harder for him and health officials to respond to surges in the virus by closing businesses. House Speaker Tim Moore said a veto override was scheduled for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Senate’s chief proponent of the bar and restaurant bill, along with an effort to overturn Cooper’s closing of gyms, said Monday he planned to revamp legislation that he said would respond to Cooper’s concerns.

Sen. Rick Gunn, an Alamance County Repubilcan, said the measure would allow Cooper to cancel reopenings should there be a spike in cases. But such action would require support from the Council of State, a collection of nine other statewide elected officials. Members include Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and other Republicans who consider Cooper’s reopening strategy too slow compared to surrounding states, at the expense of job losses and small-business closings.

“This is about fairness to all businesses,” Gunn said at a Legislative Building news conference.

Cooper expressed skepticism late Monday about Gunn’s alterations. He repeated a comment from last week that he’s considering reopenings for more businesses. But that was likely contingent on statistics showing a case surge wouldn’t overwhelm hospitals.

___

Follow AP coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak.