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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 3,472 Wednesday to 3,730 Thursday. There have been 74 deaths in the state attributed to the virus and 398 hospitalizations. According to Beaufort County Health Department Director Jim Madson, four of those hospitalizations have been Beaufort County COVID-19 cases. Two of those cases remain hospitalized, and two have been released.

In Beaufort County, there were 12 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Thursday. Six of the 12 confirmed cases have recovered from COVID-19. Six cases remain active, according to the Thursday update from Beaufort County’s Office of Emergency Services.

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. rose from 423,135 Wednesday to 454,304 on Thursday; these numbers include the 24,962 people in the U.S. known to 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, 16,267 deaths have been attributed to the virus, an increase of 1,877 overnight. 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 93 counties.

Of Beaufort County’s total of 12 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;
• two cases were related to travel to a known outbreak area;
• seven cases are attributed to community spread;
• two are still under investigation.

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

Eastern North Carolina counties with current cases include: Bertie (11), Beaufort (12), Bladen (1), Brunswick (29), Carteret (20), Camden (1), Chowan (1), Columbus (20), Craven (22), Currituck (3); Dare (10), Duplin (11), Edgecombe (15), Gates (4), Greene (10), Halifax (19), Hertford (5), Lenoir (14), Martin (4), New Hanover (53), Northampton (55), Onslow (26), Pamlico (3), Pasquotank (10), Pender (3), Perquimans (2), Pitt (57), Sampson (8), Washington (10), Wayne (47) and Wilson (42). Durham (243), Mecklenburg (861) and Wake (385) counties have the most cases in North Carolina.

Cases of COVID-19 are now projected to peak on April 13. However, Madson said the peak period for the virus could last several weeks.

There have been 131 tests completed in Beaufort County as of Thursday, with 114 negatives, 10 positives and seven pending. (These are cumulative numbers and include tests performed at the health department and reporting private medical facilities through the county. Two of Beaufort County’s positive cases were tested in other counties.

The Beaufort County Health Department is now recommending, as is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that the general public use cloth facemasks/coverings while out in public as an additional method of preventing the spread of COVID-19. This is in addition to — not in place of — other preventative measures such as staying home, social distancing and washing hands frequently and thoroughly.