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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 1,277 on Monday to 1,510 on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. There have been 10 deaths in the state attributed to the virus.

In a Beaufort County, there were seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday. Three of the seven confirmed cases have recovered from COVID-19. Four cases remain active, according to the Tuesday update from Beaufort County’s Office of Emergency Services.

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. went from 153,605 on Monday to 181,099; this does not include the 6,038 people in the U.S. who have recovered from COVID-19. The U.S. has the greatest number of cases worldwide, and there are likely many more cases as those exhibiting symptoms are now being encouraged to stay home rather than get tested. Nationwide, 3,606 deaths have been attributed to the virus. Five percent of all active cases are considered serious, requiring hospitalization — down from 19% in February, 11% of all U.S. cases have been considered serious, requiring hospitalization.

North Carolina has confirmed cases in 80 counties.

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

• one case has been contributed to direct contact with a known patient from another county;
• one case was related to travel to a known outbreak area;
• four cases are attributed to community spread;
• one case is still under investigation.

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

Eastern North Carolina counties with current cases include: Bertie (6), Beaufort (4), Brunswick (14), Carteret (12), Camden (1), Chowan (1), Columbus (4), Craven (6), Currituck (1); Dare (2), Duplin (1), Edgecombe (3), Greene (3), Halifax (4), Hertford (4), Lenoir (3), New Hanover (30), Northampton (30), Onslow (7), Pamlico (1), Pasquotank (4), Perquimans (1), Pitt (27), Sampson (1), Washington (2), Wayne (4) and Wilson (13). Durham (122), Mecklenburg (420) and Wake (186) counties have the most cases.

“There have been 89 tests completed in Beaufort County to date, with 63 negatives, six positives and 20 pending. (These are cumulative numbers and includes test performed at the Health Department and private medical facilities throughout our county.),” reads update from Chris Newkirk, deputy director of Beaufort County Emergency Services.

Beaufort County Health Department will no longer provide community testing due to limited supplies. Medical providers in the county can conduct the COVID-19 test, however, anyone exhibiting symptoms is urged to call their provider and isolate themselves from others, and not seek out medical attention unless experiencing severe symptoms.

“Announcements of cases attributed to ‘community spread’ will continue for the foreseeable future,” the update reads. “This is a normal and expected progression of communicable disease pandemics such as COVID-19. However, frequent hand washing and continuing to practice social distancing is the best way to fight community spread.”