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The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina continued to rise from 102,950 Tuesday to 105,276 Wednesday. There have been 1,732 deaths in the state attributed to the virus, an increase of 38 overnight. The state currently has 1,137 COVID-19 associated hospitalizations and 78,707 people are presumed recovered from the virus in North Carolina.

Beaufort County had a total of 226 confirmed cases as of Wednesday, an increase of eight overnight. Eight people are hospitalized, according to the Wednesday update from Beaufort County Emergency Services and Beaufort County Health Department.. Beaufort County’s numbers increased by 49 new cases last week, followed by 16 Monday, 14 Tuesday and eight Wednesday for a total of 85 new cases over the last week . There are currently 59 active COVID-19 cases in Beaufort County, 166 people have recovered from the virus, and one person died on June 24. That person was the 56th person in the county to test positive for the virus.

“Four of today’s eight new cases were symptomatic at the time of their test, and have been attributed to having had contact with another known case. All other cases are currently under investigation,” reads the Wednesday update.

Contact tracing of the 226 known, confirmed cases has concluded:

• 128 cases have been attributed to direct contact with another known positive case;
• two cases were related to travel to a known outbreak area;
• 68 cases are attributed to community spread;
• 28 cases are still under investigation.

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

The total number of cases that have been confirmed in the U.S. rose from 3,858,686 Tuesday to 3,941,741 Wednesday; these numbers include 1,182,018 people in the U.S. presumed recovered from COVID-19. The U.S. has the highest total number of cases worldwide; worldwide, there have been 15,056,149 confirmed cases. Nationwide, 142,756 deaths have been attributed to the virus.

Eastern North Carolina counties total COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday numbered (does not include number of recovered): Bertie (190), Beaufort (226), Bladen (509), Brunswick (992), Carteret (188), Camden (48), Chowan (72), Columbus (714), Craven (529), Currituck (56); Dare (163), Duplin (1,807), Edgecombe (473), Gates (34), Greene (264), Halifax (499), Hertford (219), Hyde (35), Jones (44), Lenoir (462), Martin (192), New Hanover (1,950), Northampton (272), Onslow (628), Pamlico (47), Pasquotank (278), Pender (518), Perquimans (50), Pitt (1,293), Sampson (1,340), Tyrrell (80), Washington (89), Wayne (2,152) and Wilson (1,200). Durham (5,220), Mecklenburg (18,079) and Wake (9,252) counties have the most cases in North Carolina.

There had been 3,622 tests completed in Beaufort County as of Wednesday, with 3,222 negatives, 217 positives and 183 pending. These are cumulative numbers and include tests performed at the health department and reporting private medical facilities through the county. Nine 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 six feet apart and wash your hands often.

“There were approximately 580 tests completed by Beaufort County agencies last week,” the update reads.