Rachael Riley

rriley@fayobserver.com

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A presumptive positive case of the new coronavirus is in Harnett County, officials announced Friday night.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that a presumptive positive case means at least one respiratory specimen has tested positive at a state or local laboratory and is awaiting CDC testing.

Harnett County received notice from the state lab on Friday that a resident had tested presumptive positive, according to a press release/

Officials said the patient is a Harnett County resident and recovering in self isolation at home in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

The person had traveled multiple places and tested presumptive positive upon returning home, according to the release from the Harnett County manager’s officce.

"This is not a surprise,“ Harnett County Health Director John Rouse said. ”It’s likely that more individuals will test presumptively positive for the virus.“

Harnett County Public Health is currently creating a timeline of where the individual went and when they became symptomatic in order to determine who is at an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Officials with Cape Fear Valley Health said they have no further comment at this time.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

This is a developing story and will be updated.