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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 36,503 Monday to 37,206 Tuesday. There have been 1,068 deaths in the state attributed to the virus, an increase of 27 deaths overnight. The state currently has 774 COVID-19 associated hospitalizations and 23,653 people are presumed recovered from the virus in North Carolina.

Beaufort County had a total of 45 confirmed cases as of Tuesday. Thirty-nine of the 45 confirmed cases have recovered from COVID-19. Six cases remain active.

Sixteen of Beaufort County’s positive cases were asymptomatic, meaning they experienced no symptoms, according to the Tuesday update from Beaufort County Emergency Services and Beaufort County Health Department.

Of Beaufort County’s total of 45 cases, contact tracing of these known, confirmed cases has concluded:

• 23 cases have been attributed to direct contact with another known positive case;
• two cases were related to travel to a known outbreak area;
• 20 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 1,954,236 Monday to 1,973,803 Tuesday; these numbers include 518,367 people in the U.S. presumed recovered from COVID-19. The U.S. has the highest number of cases worldwide; worldwide, there have been 7,185,573 confirmed cases. Nationwide, 111,751 deaths have been attributed to the virus, an increase of 906 overnight.

Eastern North Carolina counties with current cases include: Bertie (134), Beaufort (45), Bladen (165), Brunswick (160), Carteret (40), Camden (3), Chowan (17), Columbus (373), Craven (240), Currituck (15); Dare (25), Duplin (1,047), Edgecombe (229), Gates (24), Greene (104), Halifax (219), Hertford (135), Hyde (2), Jones (28), Lenoir (257), Martin (77), New Hanover (278), Northampton (170), Onslow (134), Pamlico (13), Pasquotank (119), Pender (113), Perquimans (26), Pitt (397), Sampson (621), Tyrrell (4), Washington (32), Wayne (1,339) and Wilson (447). Durham (2,247), Mecklenburg (5,682) and Wake (2,378) counties have the most cases in North Carolina.

There had been 1,198 tests completed in Beaufort County as of Tuesday, with 1,098 negatives, 41 positives and 59 pending. These are cumulative numbers and include tests performed at the health department and reporting private medical facilities through the county. Four of Beaufort County’s cases 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.