More than half of NC COVID-19 deaths linked to nursing home, residential care facility outbreaks

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- At least 190 of the 342 deaths related to COVID-19 in North Carolina have been linked to nursing homes and residential care facilities across the state.

Monday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released a full list of all nursing homes with ongoing outbreaks.

Currently, the most deadly outbreak is at Louisburg Healthcare and Rehab Center in Franklin County. At least 62 cases and 18 deaths have been linked to the nursing home.

This is how North Carolina reports COVID-19 deaths

On April 9, Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order implementing stricter guidelines for long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and residential care facilities. The guidelines increased infection control protocols, prohibited group activities in common spaces, and added precautions for staff to limit the spread of disease.

"We've been trying to always strike the balance of transparency and getting good data to folks, protecting public health and protecting individual privacy," Cohen said in a news conference Monday. "We want to make sure that information is standardized."

CORONAVIRUS MAP: Tracking COVID-19 across North Carolina

In addition to outbreaks at nursing homes, the state has also reported at least 950 cases at correctional facilities and 62 cases at other congregate living facilities like homeless shelters and rehabilitation centers.