Press Releases

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D. and Director of NC Emergency Management Mike Sprayberry will be available today for a dial-in media briefing at 2 p.m. regarding COVID-19. Please see below for details on how to join the call.

Governor Roy Cooper today announced another step to help families by prohibiting utilities from disconnecting people who are unable to pay during this pandemic. Today’s Order applies to electric, gas, water and wastewater services for the next 60 days. 

Today, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 122 to help schools and local governments access state surplus property to help bridge gaps during the response to COVID-19.

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that the first payments for the unemployment claims related to coronavirus will begin going out this week.

The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Caroline Riddick-Taylor as the warden of the Caledonia Correctional Institution in Tillery.She has served as the interim warden there since January.

Governor Roy Cooper ordered the people in the state of North Carolina to stay at home for thirty days, until April 29, 2020, in another step to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Governor Cooper’s Executive Order No.

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that parents who need food assistance for their children can text FOODNC to 877-877 to locate nearby free meal sites. The texting service is also available in Spanish by texting COMIDA to 877-877.

State Epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore will be available to provide information and answer questions about the state's testing and surveillance of COVID-19 at 11 a.m on Monday, March 30. Please see below for details on how to join the call.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is mourning the loss of one of its members from a traffic collision in Wayne County.  

The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Cynthia Thornton as the director of Prisons’ newly created Standards and Performance section.

The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Loris Sutton as the new Prisons’ Central Region Director, based in Raleigh.Sutton had been the Director of Operations since October 2019. She takes her new position on April 6.

State Health Director and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Chief Medical Officer Dr. Elizabeth Tilson and Director of NC Emergency Management Mike Sprayberry will be available today for a dial-in media briefing at 2 p.m. regarding COVID-19.

The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Michael Roach as warden of Dan River Prison Work Farm in Blanch.He has served as assistant warden at the facility since 2015.

The White House granted Governor Roy Cooper’s request late Wednesday for a federal disaster declaration for the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic in North Carolina.

For people who think they might have COVID-19 and have mild symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends they stay home and call their doctor for medical advice.