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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 53,964 Monday to 54,639 Tuesday. There have been 1,296 deaths in the state attributed to the virus, an increase of 18 overnight. The state currently has 915 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 Tuesday. Fifty of the 63 confirmed cases have recovered from COVID-19. Twelve cases remain active. One person is currently hospitalized, according to the Tuesday update from Beaufort County Emergency Services and Beaufort County Health Department.

“All six of our most recent cases have been attributed to having had contact with another known case(s),” the update reads.

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

Of Beaufort County’s total of 63 cases, contact tracing of these known, confirmed cases has concluded:

• 38 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.

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

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. rose from 2,305,950 Monday to 2,332,850 Tuesday; 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 9,169,329 confirmed cases. Nationwide, 121,029 deaths have been attributed to the virus, an increase of 689 overnight.

Eastern North Carolina counties with current cases as of Tuesday include: Bertie (137), Beaufort (63), Bladen (321), Brunswick (367), Carteret (61), Camden (22), Chowan (19), Columbus (471), Craven (318), Currituck (16); Dare (29), Duplin (1,355), Edgecombe (276), Gates (25), Greene (151), Halifax (272), Hertford (156), Hyde (6), Jones (29), Lenoir (343), Martin (117), New Hanover (611), Northampton (190), Onslow (215), Pamlico (17), Pasquotank (168), Pender (182), Perquimans (30), Pitt (579), Sampson (907), Tyrrell (5), Washington (37), Wayne (1,673) and Wilson (622). Durham (3,244), Mecklenburg (9,086) and Wake (4,106) counties have the most cases in North Carolina.

There had been 1,814 tests completed in Beaufort County as of Monday, with 1,642 negatives, 58 positives and 114 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 Tuesday 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.