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HYDE COUNTY — COVID-19 continues to spread in Hyde County. However, Hyde County Health Director Luana Gibbs reports that the number of active cases has slowed down this week.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the Hyde County Health Department and a Swan Quarter business owner, what was classified as an “outbreak” in a workplace setting has been resolved. People who are visiting the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Dashboard website may have seen that case counts spiked between July 9 and July 17, which was related to this outbreak.

Wednesday, the COVID-19 numbers reflect a total count of 35 cases, of which 32 have recovered, with an active case count of three. Again, there has been only one hospitalization to date, and thankfully no deaths. The one hotspot we have noted was the Swan Quarter workplace outbreak as described above.

Drive-thru mass testing was provided by MakoMedical Laboratories, in partnership with the Health Department, at the Mattamuskeet School campus July 17. Twenty participants who have received their results.  Additional events are in planning, including on Ocracoke Island and more for the mainland. Please be advised that if you test at a mass-testing event, there is ​no out-of-pocket expense to you. Stay tuned for testing dates and locations.

The Hyde County Health Department remains available to the public to answer questions and provide education. Businesses are encouraged to call if they have questions or concerns about how to keep their employees and patrons safe. Individuals are encouraged to call with inquiries. The department can be reached at 252-926-4399, Mondays through Fridays, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Get your information from reliable sources, such as:

• CDC, ​www.cdc.gov/Coronavirus
• NC Division of Health and Human Services, ​www.ncdhhs.gov​, 1-866-462-3821 (NC Coronavirus Hotline)
• Hyde County Health Department, ​www.hydehealth.com​, 252-926-4399