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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 34,718 Saturday to 36,503 Monday. There have been 1,041 deaths in the state attributed to the virus, an increase of 13 deaths over the past two days. The state currently has 739 COVID-19 associated hospitalizations and 18,860 people are presumed recovered from the virus in North Carolina.

Beaufort County had a total of 44 confirmed cases as of Monday. Thirty-seven of the 44 confirmed cases have recovered from COVID-19. Seven cases remain active.

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

Of Beaufort County’s total of 44 cases, contact tracing of these known, confirmed cases has concluded:

• 22 cases have been attributed to direct contact with another known positive case;
• two cases were related to travel to a known outbreak area;
• 19 cases are attributed to community spread;
• one case is under investigation.

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

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. rose from 1,909,077 Saturday to 1,954,236 Monday; these numbers include 506,367  people in the U.S. presumed recovered from COVID-19. The U.S. has the highest number of cases worldwide; worldwide, there have been 7,073,970 confirmed cases. Nationwide, 110,845 deaths have been attributed to the virus, an increase of 1,348 overnight.

Eastern North Carolina counties with current cases include: Bertie (134), Beaufort (44), Bladen (165), Brunswick (149), Carteret (40), Camden (3), Chowan (17), Columbus (373), Craven (239), Currituck (15); Dare (25), Duplin (1,047), Edgecombe (229), Gates (24), Greene (104), Halifax (203), Hertford (135), Hyde (2), Jones (28), Lenoir (241), Martin (77), New Hanover (270), Northampton (165), Onslow (134), Pamlico (13), Pasquotank (119), Pender (113), Perquimans (26), Pitt (397), Sampson (621), Tyrrell (4), Washington (32), Wayne (1,335) and Wilson (445). Durham (2,180), Mecklenburg (5,682) and Wake (2,300) counties have the most cases in North Carolina.

There had been 1,168 tests completed in Beaufort County as of Monday, with 1,080 negatives, 40 positives and 48 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.