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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 9,035 on Sunday to 9,298 Monday. There have been 328 deaths in the state attributed to the virus, an increase of eight overnight. There are currently 473 COVID-19 associated hospitalizations. According to Beaufort County Health Department Director Jim Madson, four of those hospitalizations have been Beaufort County COVID-19 cases.

In Beaufort County, there were 21 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Monday. Fifteen of the 21 confirmed cases have recovered from COVID-19. Six cases remain active, none of which are hospitalized.

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

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. rose from 963,168 Sunday to 980,008 on Monday; these numbers include the 107,754 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, 55,637 deaths have been attributed to the virus, an increase of 1,023 overnight.

North Carolina has confirmed cases in 95 counties.

Of Beaufort County’s total of 21 cases, contact tracing of these known, confirmed cases has concluded:

• six cases have been attributed to direct contact with a known patient from another county;
• two cases were related to travel to a known outbreak area;
• 13 cases are attributed to community spread.

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

Eastern North Carolina counties with current cases include: Bertie (38), Beaufort (21), Bladen (10), Brunswick (40), Carteret (28), Camden (1), Chowan (7), Columbus (94), Craven (39), Currituck (3); Dare (15), Duplin (72), Edgecombe (78), Gates (7), Greene (15), Halifax (53), Hertford (28), Jones (14), Lenoir (45), Martin (15), New Hanover (79), Northampton (82), Onslow (43), Pamlico (7), Pasquotank (34), Pender (12), Perquimans (11), Pitt (111), Sampson (39), Tyrrell (4), Washington (24), Wayne (635) and Wilson (151). Durham (555), Mecklenburg (1,492), Wake (671) and Wayne (635) counties have the most cases in North Carolina.

There have been 272 tests completed in Beaufort County as of Monday, with 238 negatives, 18 positives and 16 pending. These are cumulative numbers and include tests performed at the health department and reporting private medical facilities through the county.

“Three of our positive cases were tested in other counties, but are Beaufort County residents,” the update reads.