32 cases of Coronavirus reported in North Carolina; Still no cases reported on the Outer Banks

By Sunday morning, the state of North Carolina had a total of 32 presumptive positive and confirmed positive cases of the novel Coronavirus, however, there were still no cases of COVID-19 reported in Dare or Hyde Counties.

North Carolina’s first reported case of COVID-19 occurred on March 3 in Wake County. The patient had recently traveled to Washington state to a health care facility that later reported an outbreak of the virus.

The majority of current cases are in the central part of the state, and specifically Wake County. Craven, Onslow and Brunswick are the only coastal North Carolina counties to have cases of Coronavirus, with a total of three. As of Sunday, no deaths have been reported from COVID-19 in North Carolina.

At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Governor Roy Cooper issued an executive order which stated that all public schools in North Carolina would be closed for at least two weeks starting on Monday, March 16.

The closure is in effect for all public schools, grades K-12, and is part of a statewide effort to stop the spread of the Coronavirus in North Carolina. Dare County Schools recently posted an update on its plans for an upcoming remote learning program to address the statewide school closure.

The governor’s executive order also put a temporary ban on all gatherings of 100 people or more across the state for the immediate future. This does not include regular business at local stores, restaurants, and other spots on Hatteras and Ocracoke islands that are currently open, or are preparing to open for the 2020 season.

Grocery stores on Hatteras and Ocracoke island reportedly still had ample groceries for shoppers, although popular supplies like toilet paper were limited for the time being. Stores and businesses on the islands are still receiving deliveries and are restocking shelves as needed.

In an effort to reduce the spread of infection, protect lives and avoid strain on the health care system, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services established seven recommendations, applicable statewide for at least 30 days.

Per a recent update from the Outer Banks Voice, Dare County’s Department of Health and Human Services Nursing Director, Debbie Dutton, stated that the county is in good shape when it comes to having the resources to accommodate people who need to be tested for the novel coronavirus. Tests have been conducted on the Outer Banks, and there have been no positive test results for the novel coronavirus in Dare County

It is recommended that patients call their healthcare provider to inquire about testing if have the following symptoms, which may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

• A fever of 100.4 degrees or higher
• Persistent cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Negative flu test, if one was administered

For more information on the county response to coronavirus, see https://www.darenc.com/departments/health-human-services/coronavirus.