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Hyde County Health Director Luana Gibbs announced the first official laboratory confirmed case of COVID-19 in Hyde County on Wednesday.

Gibbs says the Hyde County Health Department has consistently followed NC Department of Health and Human Services protocols and the case has been properly vetted. The individual is in isolation.

Communicable disease staff have conducted contact tracing, identified individuals who may have had close contact with the individual and implemented quarantine recommendations and orders.

Close contact is anyone who has been within six feet of the individual for more than 10 minutes. To protect the privacy of all individuals, no further information will be released.

As always, please:

• STAY HOME, unless you are conducting essential business, such as buying groceries or visiting your pharmacy.
• When you must conduct essential business, practice social distancing, which is staying at least six feet away from others, AND wear facial covering.  To learn how to make your own facial covering, go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPx1yqvJgf4
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue that you promptly throw in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces several times a day.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Get your information from reliable sources, such as:

• CDC, www.cdc.gov/Coronavirus
• NC Division of Health and Human Services, www.ncdhhs.gov, 1-866-462-3821 (NC Coronavirus Hotline)
• Hyde County Health Department, www.hydehealth.com, 252-926-4399