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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 52,801 Sunday to 53,964 Monday. There have been 1,278 deaths in the state attributed to the virus, an increase of 58 overnight. The state currently has 870 COVID-19 associated hospitalizations and 36,921 people are presumed recovered from the virus in North Carolina.

Beaufort County had a total of 63 confirmed cases as of Monday. Fifty-one of the 63 confirmed cases have recovered from COVID-19. Twelve cases remain active. One person is currently hospitalized, according to the Monday update from Beaufort County Emergency Services and Beaufort County Health Department.

“Two of our most recent cases were detected as a result of contact tracing and have been attributed to having had contact with another known case(s),” the update reads.

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

Of Beaufort County’s total of 56 cases, contact tracing of these known, confirmed cases has concluded:

• 34 cases have been attributed to direct contact with another known positive case;
• two cases were related to travel to a known outbreak area;
• 23 cases are attributed to community spread;
• three cases are under investigation.

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

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. rose from 2,275,319 Sunday to 2,305,950 Monday; these numbers include 640,198 people in the U.S. presumed recovered from COVID-19. The U.S. has the highest number of cases worldwide; worldwide, there have been 9,036,002 confirmed cases. Nationwide, 120,340 deaths have been attributed to the virus, an increase of 391 overnight.

Eastern North Carolina counties with current cases as of Monday include: Bertie (136), Beaufort (63), Bladen (310), Brunswick (356), Carteret (61), Camden (19), Chowan (19), Columbus (468), Craven (315), Currituck (16); Dare (29), Duplin (1,345), Edgecombe (274), Gates (25), Greene (147), Halifax (272), Hertford (156), Hyde (6), Jones (28), Lenoir (342), Martin (113), New Hanover (611), Northampton (190), Onslow (213), Pamlico (17), Pasquotank (164), Pender (182), Perquimans (30), Pitt (567), Sampson (894), Tyrrell (5), Washington (37), Wayne (1,658) and Wilson (622). Durham (3,212), Mecklenburg (8,956) and Wake (4,035) counties have the most cases in North Carolina.

There had been 1,748 tests completed in Beaufort County as of Sunday, with 1,584 negatives, 58 positives and 106 pending. These are cumulative numbers and include tests performed at the health department and reporting private medical facilities through the county. Five of Beaufort County’s cases were tested in other counties but are Beaufort County residents.

“There were 378 tests completed by Beaufort County agencies last week,” the update reads. “This was our highest weekly total to date and exceeds the state’s recommended pace of testing 2% of a county’s population per month. (Equating to approximately 240 people per week for Beaufort Co.)”

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