Life in Wake County remains on pause as a Stay-at-home order was put into exercise by Roy Cooper on March 27, at 5 PM. As of Tuesday, April 7, 16 new cases of the CoronaVirus have been confirmed in the Wake County area. With these 16 additional cases, the Wake County area now totals with 351 confirmed cases.
Statewide, North Carolina has now totaled to 3,221 cases, with 54 deaths and 354 currently hospitalized. Although the DHHS states it is still unclear as to how, “widespread” the virus is, Wake County, along with other counties, serves as an example as to why it is important for all of NC to remain quarantined.
With Coronavirus making homelessness in the county worse, Wake County is launching a new program called, “Wake Prevent!” This program is aimed to stop homelessness in Wake County before it happens. “Wake Prevent”, gives those families in need rental assistance who make below 50% of the average income level (46,350 for a family consisting of four people).
“Now they can send an electronic referral directly to us. An electronic goes right to our intake coordinator who will call that person back and say, ‘Hey, I think you might be a fit for our program,'”, says Lorena McDowell, Wake County Director of Housing Affordability and Community Revitalization. –
This program is already in aid towards a Wake citizen, referred to as, “Star Johnson” (citizen wishes to remain anonymous). “Star Johnson” is currently living in a two-bed hotel room with her four teenagers, she filed for the program, as she is fleeing a bad relationship, and in search for a new job.
“My stress is over the top, just trying to do the best that I can do at this point,” says “Star Johnson”.
Tweet from ABC 11’s, Joel Brown.
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This will be an on-going coverage, as circumstances change and the affect of the COVID-19 pandemic rapidly impact all areas of the country.
