Dare County provides details on its 15 active COVID-19 cases in Friday’s update

Dare County released the following COVID-19 update for Friday, August 21, which details the county’s most recent active cases, testing efforts, and additional community information.

The number of positive COVID-19 tests in Dare County is 415, 15 of which are considered active in Dare County. Of the 415 cases, 224 are residents and 191 are non-residents. One resident remains hospitalized outside of Dare County.

Since the last Dare County DHHS Update issued, Tuesday August 18, 2020, there have been 13 new positive cases. Of these 13 cases, 8 are residents and 5 are non-residents. The Dare County website has already been updated to reflect all of these cases.

Of the 8 new resident cases since Tuesday, August 18th:

• 3 of the cases are connected,  2 asymptomatic and 1 symptomatic, These individuals acquired the virus by direct contact with an individual who tested positive outside of Dare County.
• 1 of the cases is symptomatic who acquired the virus by direct contact with a  family member who tested positive outside of Dare County.
• 4 of the cases are not connected, all symptomatic. These individuals all acquired the virus by direct contact with individuals who tested positive outside of Dare County.

Of the 5 new non-resident cases since Tuesday, August 18th:

• 4 of the cases are not connected, all symptomatic. These individuals acquired the virus by direct contact with individuals who tested positive outside of Dare County.
• 1 of the cases is symptomatic. It is unclear how this individual acquired the virus, which indicates community spread.

Contract tracing has been completed on the 11 of the new cases and direct contacts provided by these individuals have been identified, notified, and directed to quarantine for 14 days from the last date of exposure with the positive case. We are currently in the process of working with 2 individuals to identify and notify their direct contacts.

Controlling the Spread

Earlier this week we reported seeing a decline in new positive cases for the 4th week in a row. Over the past few days, however, we have seen an uptick in new cases. We cannot stress enough how important it is to use the proven tools available to help reduce the spread of COVID 19. Please help us keep the number of new cases low by following the 3Ws:

• Wear a cloth face covering if you will be with other people.
• Wait 6 feet apart. Avoid close contact.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer

Outer Banks Testing Center

COVID-19 diagnostic testing is widely available in Dare County for anyone wanting or needing a test. Testing is available at Beach Medical, Surf Pediatrics and Medicine, Outer Banks Urgent Care Kitty Hawk and Outer Banks Urgent Care & Family Medicine in Nags Head. Contact information for these locations is available on our website at www.darenc.com/covid19. Please be sure to call ahead as most of these locations are conducting a brief over the phone screening prior to a patient’s arrival.

There is now a new testing location, the Outer Banks Testing Center located at 4917 S Croatan Hwy Suite E in Nags Head. This testing site is specifically for individuals who are asymptomatic and have no known exposure to COVID-19. This can include individuals who need a COVID-19 diagnostic test for a pre-operative procedure or for travel related purposes. Appointments are required and can be made by calling Outer Banks Testing Center located at 252.449.6175.

Staying Well

Practicing general wellness during these difficult times can help improve an individual’s likelihood of preventing or recovering from illness due to COVID-19. It is not uncommon for individuals to struggle emotionally during a pandemic situation, such as COVID-19.  Many in Dare County have been impacted by COVID-19 in a variety of ways. Right now we have students and community members working from home or individuals who have been laid off and in addition to financial struggles, are missing the social interactions they previously benefited from in the workplace. Social interactions have been cut back, due to fears of spreading the virus. However, the need for connection with others doesn’t just go away.  Relationships are an important source of meaning in our lives, and no amount of social/ physical distancing can change that. Despite the circumstances, there are a variety of ways that you can remain connected with those around you while being mindful of physical distancing. Apps like zoom or house party can allow you to connect with others through your phone or computer. Looking for ideas to help stay connected with others? Click here for some creative ideas on staying connected during COVID-19. Are you struggling emotionally? Click here to resources to support good mental health and wellness during COVID-19.  

 Communications and Information Sharing

Dare County DHHS has an established schedule of communication to share information regarding COVID-19. On Tuesdays, a written update and a video update which includes an overview of the previous week’s COVID-19 key metrics is issued, and on Fridays a written update is issued. All released videos and written updates can be found on our website, DHHS facebook page, Dare County Twitter page, and Dare Emergency Management Twitter page. If you would like to receive these updates directly to your email, please sign up to receive our enotifications.

New positive cases are updated on the dashboard on our website and shared on the DHHS facebook page when we receive them. To find the most up-to-date information on COVID-19 cases in Dare County visit www.darenc.com/covid19. State COVID-19 data is available at https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard.