Press Releases

Governor Roy Cooper’s Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Task Force continues to prepare for the possibility of COVID-19 infections occurring in North Carolina and is encouraging businesses, schools, health care providers, communities and individuals to prepare as well. Currently, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina.

North Carolina is among states rated as high performers in public health emergency preparedness measures by a nonpartisan, nonprofit that advocates for optimal health for people and communities through prevention of illness and injuries.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local health departments to respond to the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak and assure the health and well-being of North Carolinians as resident

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released the final report on the public health investigation into an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in people who attended the NC Mountain State Fair held Sept. 6–15, 2019 at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center in Fletcher, NC.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Public Health is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), local health departments and health care providers to closely monitor the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that originated in Wuhan, China.

State leaders from the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services will be traveling across North Carolina over the next several months on a town hall listening tour to listen to the concerns and experiences of consumers, families and advocates. Meetings will be held in Wilmington, Winston-Salem and five other locations to be announced.

The North Carolina Division of Public Health (NC DPH) is reporting that a patient who was being tested for the novel (new) 2019 coronavirus is not infected with the virus. Negative results were received this evening from testing performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In conjunction with National Radon Action Month, the North Carolina Radon Program is distributing 3,000 radon test kits at no charge this month.

Twenty-three local health departments in North Carolina will receive a share of a $2.1 million award annually for up to three years to implement high-impact, community-level strategies to address the opioid crisis.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting the first influenza-associated pediatric death for the 2019–2020 flu season. A child in the western part of the state died in December from complications associated with influenza infection.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) typically does not release individual autopsy reports and information prior to the completion of the case. However, given the public health concerns surrounding the Durham Housing Authority’s McDougald Terrace location, DHHS is sharing information about the carbon monoxide laboratory results today related to three infant deaths in Durham County.

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina will receive $56 million in federal funding over the next seven years to support children’s health and well-being, improve access to high-quality early learning for families across the state and invest in the state’s early childhood workforce.