Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution as its March 2 meeting designating March 3 as a Day of Reflection to remember the one-year anniversary of the first diagnosed case of COVID-19 in North Carolina. The resolution recognized the toll caused by COVID-19 and acknowledged the community’s response to defeating the pandemic.
“I would like to express my condolences and sympathy to all who have lost loved ones,” said Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart. “I am really proud of the hard work performed daily by the Health Department staff, our community partners and our community volunteers. Thank you for acknowledging this unprecedented public health crisis and everything our community has done to respond.”
As of March 1, 7,767 cases and 93 deaths had been reported in Orange County. More than half a million people across the nation have died as a result of the pandemic.
“We are all very grateful for the work of the Health Department and essential workers,” said Orange County Vice Chair Jamezetta Bedford. “Our county employees and the folks at UNC Health and across the state are taking real care at looking and getting the vaccine to the populations that have been disproportionately harmed by this virus.”
The first confirmed case in Orange County was announced March 19, 2020. Through March 1, the county health department had administered 5,175 first doses and 3,031 second doses.