Reporting COVID-19 Cases

Active case count as of July 9 (currently in isolation)
Employees	Students	Subcontractors
0	10	0

Cumulative positive confirmed cases as of July 9
Employees	Students	Subcontractors
3	21	40

These data come from AppHealthCare district health department and reflect the confirmed cases at Appalachian State University. The “Employees” category includes both faculty and staff. The “Subcontractors” category indicates individuals working on campus construction projects who are employed by private construction companies, rather than the university. Detailed information on regional cases is available on the AppHealthCare website.

Employee self-reporting of COVID-19 tests

Faculty and staff are required to report the following information:

If a health care provider tells you that you are presumed positive for the novel coronavirus.
If you have been tested for COVID-19.
The results, whether positive or negative, of your COVID-19 test.

You can report this information in two ways:

Via a web form, which you can access here.
Via telephone, by calling 828-262-4008

The information on the form helps the university work with public health professionals to conduct contact tracing and provide any resources and support you might need. Employees who test positive for COVID-19 should communicate with their supervisor and/or Human Resources about special COVID-19 leave provisions that are currently in effect.

If you have concerns about the health of a student, you may:

Email safety@appstate.edu or
Call 828-262-4008

NOTE: App State will report positive cases of faculty, staff and students that have been verified by public health to campus. No personally identifiable information will be shared by the university.

All reported information will remain confidential.

What happens when someone tests positive?

Over the coming months, it is likely we will see an increase in self-reported cases that have not been tested by AppHealthCare or App State. When we hear of these reports, we are coordinating with local public health agencies to the greatest extent possible, in consultation with the North Carolina Division of Public Health Communicable Disease team, to confirm positive cases.

In North Carolina, when someone tests positive, their health care provider is required by law to report that to their local health department. They also report positive test cases to the state. This is to ensure health care is being provided to individuals who have tested positive, and the health of the public is being protected by implementing isolation procedures.

When an App State student, faculty or staff member tests positive, the local public health department makes contact with that person and gives public health guidance to isolate away from others, stay home and not go to work. AppHealthCare is responsible for public health in Watauga, Ashe and Alleghany Counties.

Additionally, local public health departments are responsible for contact tracing – no matter where someone received a test. This means AppHealthCare will work to:

Identify cases of COVID-19
Isolate those who have tested positive
Identify and quarantine close contacts of those who have tested positive for 14 days
Monitor positive cases and close contacts until released

When an App State Student has a positive test result, the university’s Student Health Service will assist AppHealthCare as needed.

Who will be notified?

In the event of a positive test, only close contacts of those who have tested positive will be notified by health care providers. This is to protect the privacy of the individuals and prevent the disclosure of protected health information. This procedure is also consistent with CDC and public health guidelines, as well as with the university’s communicable disease notification practice.

The university has a dedicated website about its response to COVID-19, where you can find a dashboard with case counts that is updated as positive cases related to the university are identified. App State will use this dashboard to keep the university community informed about verified, positive cases.

Additionally, AppHealthCare has developed a website dashboard with case counts for Watauga, Ashe and Alleghany counties.