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North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has added to its list of COVID-19 data available.

On Monday, the department released the number of those COVID-19 cases in the state that are  presumed recovered: 9,115. The number of confirmed cases in the state numbered 15,516 meaning there are 6,401 active cases statewide.

The presumed recovered number is an estimate based on metrics used by the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. Both estimate 14 days as the median recovery time those testing positive for COVID-19 but whose symptoms were mild enough they did not need to be hospitalized or their hospitalization status is unknown. For those affected more severely by the virus, a required hospitalization, the estimated recovery time is 28 days. Both time periods start the date the test was taken, as opposed to returned positive.

“It is important to note that patients’ actual recovery times could be shorter or longer depending on the severity of illness. This interval was chosen based on WHO guidance, and in consultation with CDC and other state health departments. A median recovery time of two weeks from illness onset for mild cases and three to six weeks for patients with severe or critical disease was reported by WHO,” a NCDHHS statement reads.

Closer to home, the number of recovered listed in the daily update from Beaufort County Health Department and Beaufort County Emergency Services is more accurate. With a total positive count of 25 COVID-19 cases since March 24 and currently only two active cases, Beaufort County Health Department is better able to collect recovery data on the local level, as opposed to estimating that number.

“They’re following that criteria but we’re actually using per patient, since we’re actually in contact with all the cases and follow the period of recovery,” said Jim Madson, Beaufort County Health Department Director. “If a patient has gone 72 hours without a fever and now 10 days from the first sign of the symptoms — they need both those criteria for us to consider them recovered. The important thing is we are following each one. It is not an estimate; it’s an actual recovered person.”

NCDHHS will be releasing the statewide estimation of recovered patients weekly on Mondays. Also new to the NCDHHS website is a breakdown of total COVID-19 cases by zip code, however, the map does not specify if the cases are active or recovered. On Tuesday, the case count was the following: Aurora, 1; Bath, 2; Belhaven, 0; Blounts Creek, 1; Chocowinity, 4; Edward, 0, Pantego, 2; Pinetown, 2; and Washington, 13.