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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 15,950 Wednesday to 16,695 Thursday. There have been 637 deaths in the state attributed to the virus, an increase of 21 overnight. The state currently has 507 COVID-19 associated hospitalizations and 9,115 people have recovered from the virus in North Carolina, according to the Thursday update from Beaufort County Emergency Services and Beaufort County Health Department.

In Beaufort County, there were 27 confirmed cases on Thursday. Twenty-three of the 27 confirmed cases have recovered from COVID-19. Four cases remain active.

Seven of Beaufort County’s positive cases were asymptomatic, meaning they experienced no symptoms.

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. rose from 1,381,696 Wednesday to 1,405,961 Thursday; these numbers include the 243,430 people in the U.S. known to have recovered from COVID-19. The U.S. has the highest number of cases worldwide; worldwide, there have been 4,413,597 confirmed cases. Nationwide, 85,194 deaths have been attributed to the virus, an increase of 1,838 overnight.

North Carolina has confirmed cases in 99 counties.

Of Beaufort County’s total of 27 cases, contact tracing of these known, confirmed cases has concluded:

• seven cases have been attributed to direct contact with a known patient from another county;
• two cases were related to travel to a known outbreak area;
• 16 cases are attributed to community spread;
• Two cases are still under investigation.

All active cases are self-isolating, the update reads.

Eastern North Carolina counties with current cases include: Bertie (74), Beaufort (27), Bladen (66), Brunswick (51), Carteret (35), Camden (2), Chowan (12), Columbus (226), Craven (72), Currituck (11); Dare (21), Duplin (305), Edgecombe (161), Gates (12), Greene (40), Halifax (105), Hertford (51), Hyde (1), Jones (21), Lenoir (134), Martin (34), New Hanover (123), Northampton (126), Onslow (63), Pamlico (8), Pasquotank (81), Pender (43), Perquimans (20), Pitt (185), Sampson (203), Tyrrell (4), Washington (26), Wayne (775) and Wilson (218). Durham (932), Mecklenburg (2,320) and Wake (1,107) counties have the most cases in North Carolina.

There had been 532 tests completed in Beaufort County as of Thursday, with 471 negatives, 24 positives and 37 pending. These are cumulative numbers and include tests performed at the health department and reporting private medical facilities through the county. Three of Beaufort County’s number were tested in other counties but are Beaufort County residents.

The update reminded county residents to “practice the Three W’s:” wear face coverings, wait 6 feet apart and wash your hands often.