WAKE COUNTY, N.C. — Five more people in Wake County have tested "presumptively positive" for coronavirus.
All five people attended a BioGen conference in Boston in late February. Numerous COVID-19 cases across the country have been linked to this convention.
These individuals are not linked to the man who tested positive last week.
On Tuesday, the Wake County Public Health Division released the following timeline for the patients leading up to their home isolation:
"Through conversations with the patients, the county has assembled a timeline of their movements prior to entering isolation at home.
"All five people attended the Biogen conference in Boston, Massachusetts, during the last week of February. Dozens of conference attendees in other states have tested presumptive positive for COVID-19.
"The affected individuals started showing symptoms of COVID-19 between Feb. 29 and March 3. The CDC says COVID-19 is most likely to be transmitted when affected people are symptomatic.
"During that time, the affected individuals visited several locations. Wake County is only sharing the names of the places these people visited where there was an increased risk of public exposure.
"They include:
"Feb. 29
"One individual went to vote early in the Primary Election at Millbrook Exchange Community Center in Raleigh. Wake County Public Health has the names of the elections officials and are working with them to further assess the risk of exposure at this location.
"March 2 – 5
"Multiple people went to work at the Biogen offices in the Research Triangle Park while showing symptoms. Our public health staff are working with the company to assess the risk of exposure at their facility.
"March 2 – 6
"Multiple traveled between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Boston, and Boston and RDU. If you were on a flight and determined to be at risk, a public health official will contact you directly.
"March 4
"One person ate at Zest Café & Home Art on 8831 Six Forks Road in Raleigh.
"Public health staff believe there is little risk to anyone who came in contact with the people at any other locations since they were not symptomatic or in close contact with others. Since these are not locations of concern, Wake County is not releasing their names."
The North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health conducted the tests. The tests are "presumptively positive" and will be confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lab.
While those results are awaiting confirmation, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will treat these cases as positive and will follow all CDC guidelines to protect the public health.
The CDC is working to identify individuals who may have been in close contact with these people.
