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Beaufort County Health Director Jim Madson told the Beaufort County Commissioners on Tuesday that the county is continuing to see increases in COVID-19 case counts, hospitalizations and COVID-related deaths, and demand for vaccines is growing as well.

As of Wednesday, the county’s seven-day average case rate is 47.7. That number has continued to grow since dipping into the single digits as recently as July. The county recorded five COVID-19-related deaths in August, its highest total since February. The county’s current COVID death toll is 108. Health officials know of 600 active cases among Beaufort County residents. Twenty-seven of those individuals are hospitalized; three are on a ventilator.

Madson said the county’s vaccination rate has grown to around 400 per week. Just over half (52.3%) of the county’s total population has been at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19, and 45.8% has been fully vaccinated. In terms of the county’s adult population, 63% has been partially vaccinated and 55.5% has been fully vaccinated. Approximately 25% of the population ages 12-17 has been partially vaccinated, and 17.3% of that age group is fully vaccinated.

From June 1 to Sept. 8, the county has recorded 1,276 positive cases. Of those, 90% were unvaccinated.