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ASHEVILLE - A patient in Macon County who has tested positive for COVID-19 visited Buncombe County last week, according to an 11 a.m. release from Buncombe County Health and Human Services Department.

The individual visited Asheville March 10-13, during which time they had symptoms of COVID-19, according to the release. They were tested by BCHHS Communicable Disease staff and traveled to Macon County for isolation.

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Public health officials are actively investigating the individual's activities in Buncombe County, as well as any possible contacts, the release said.

No further details will be released in the interest of the patient's privacy, it said.

BCHHS gave the following guidelines for seeking medical evaluation and advice:

If you or a family member have fever AND cough or difficulty breathing, call your health care provider, or an urgent care if you do not have a health care provider. DO NOT show up at your health care provider’s office or the urgent care without calling first.

Do NOT go to the emergency room. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve the most critically ill.

If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 and tell them your symptoms.

If you do not have a health care provider and cannot afford to be seen at an urgent care, call 828-250-5109 to speak with a Communicable Disease nurse at BCHHS. Leave a message and a CD nurse will return your call as quickly as possible.

People with symptoms should NOT come to the health department.

Elizabeth Anne Brown is the trending news reporter for the Citizen Times. Reach her at eabrown@citizentimes.com, or follow her on Twitter @eabrown18.

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