RALEIGH, N.C. — Dozens of coronavirus cases are tied to a church in Western North Carolina, officials say.
At least 75 people tested positive for COVID-19 after a holiday-themed church event the weekend of Dec. 5, the Henderson County Health Department said Thursday in a news release. The announcement doesn't say how many of the coronavirus patients attended the event.
The cases are linked to First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, roughly 25 miles south of Asheville, officials say.
"With a strong sense of unity, our ministers and deacons have decided to put our church on a thirty-day pause in regard to on-site worship," the church wrote Tuesday in a Facebook post. "This also includes all ministry activities. The current wave of virus infection is so widespread that we must take action out of concern for the safety of our church, our community, and especially those who are most vulnerable in our midst."
Church officials didn't immediately respond to McClatchy News' request for comment on Thursday afternoon.
Health officials say they are trying to find anyone who may have been exposed to the virus.
The cluster of coronavirus cases was announced the same week that coronavirus-related deaths and hospitalizations reached record single-day highs in North Carolina.
State officials say Henderson County is in the "yellow" zone, the lowest level on the state's coronavirus alert map. While areas marked in yellow have lower cases per capita and other signs of spread, people in those counties are urged to stay cautious in the fight against COVID-19.
To reduce the risk of spread, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges people to avoid close contact with others who don't live with them. In public, everyone is encouraged to wear face masks, wash their hands and practice social distancing.
"Henderson County continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases generated from social gatherings such as parties, family and neighborhood get-togethers," the health department wrote in its news release.
