Charlotte Church Connected To 68 COVID-19 Cases, 2 Deaths

CHARLOTTE, NC — Services at a West Charlotte church are believed to be linked to at least 68 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases and two deaths, Mecklenburg County Public Health said Wednesday.

The cases are potentially connected with convocation events held Oct. 4-11 at United House of Prayer For All People, located at 2321 Beatties Ford Road.

The cases also include four hospitalizations, a cluster of six confirmed cases at Madison Saints Paradise South Independent Living facility, and potential cases in at least four other states, the public health agency said.

Mecklenburg County public health officials are urging anyone who attended the events in early October or who has been in contact with someone who attended get tested for COVID-19.

"If you have COVID-19 like symptoms, please avoid close contact with anyone," MCPH said.

Mecklenburg County Public Health is offering no cost, drive-thru COVID-19 testing event from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Thursday, Oct. 22 and Friday, Oct. 23 at the Northwest Health Department location, 2845 Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte.

"Public Health also wants to remind everyone that COVID-19 spreads easily, especially during gatherings with limited masking or social distancing," the health department said in a statement. "It is important that we all continue to practice the 3 W's and avoid gatherings to prevent further spread in our community."

Recent increases in COVID-19 cases in the state are among the highest reported since the pandemic began in March, and have been fueled in part by family and religious gatherings, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said Wednesday during a news conference.

DHHS announced Wednesday it is expanding reporting of COVID-19 clusters on its dashboard to include workplaces, shopping and services, restaurants and bars, as well as religious and social gatherings. DHHS defines a cluster as a minimum of five cases within a 14-day period with a plausible epidemiologic linkage.

As of Wednesday, North Carolina reported at least 76 religious gatherings have been linked to at least 1,040 positive cases and 13 deaths since late May. In that same time, social gatherings in the state have led to at least 23 clusters of 231 positive cases and two deaths.

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