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Recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in Dare County and the highest daily totals for new cases, hospitalizations and deaths in North Carolina and the United States show the coronavirus is spreading rapidly throughout the country.

On Dec. 2, the Dare County Health and Human Services COVID-19 dashboard showed 37 new cases of COVID-19. On Dec. 3, the new case total was 20. On Dec. 4, the new case total was nine.

On Dec. 3, Mandy Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Service, reported the highest daily total of new cases (5,637) and the highest hospitalizations (2,101) for COVID-19 in North Carolina. The daily total on deaths due to the coronavirus was 5,410. The percentage of positive tests to overall tests reached its highest point at 11.4%.

Cohen said “the numbers are alarming.”

On Friday, the new case number was 5,303, some 334 cases less than reported the day before. However, another 57 North Carolinians died. The state’s dashboard reports 299 more patients were admitted to hospitals with coronavirus.

Across the state, occupied ICU beds number 1,968. Hospitals report 412 ICU beds staffed but empty. Inpatient hospital beds number 16,270 occupied with 4,751 empty but staffed.

Personal protective equipment supplies are declining. However, every category has much more than a 30-day supply.

Cohen’s messages are simple: Wear a mask, stand six feet apart, wash hands.

Hyde County – In Hyde County on Dec. 4, the total number of cases is 190, an increase of one from the previous report. Four cases are considered active positive. The county notes 181 recoveries and deaths remain at five people. On the state’s new County Alert System, Hyde County is yellow, showing significant community spread. Yellow is the lowest of the three ratings.

Tyrrell County – On Dec. 3, Martin-Tyrrell-Washington Health District reported that Tyrrell County’s total, cumulative case number is 144. Some 138 people have recovered. On Dec. 3, three cases were active. Three individuals have died in the county due to coronavirus. On the County Alert System, Tyrrell County is yellow, showing significant community spread.

Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank counties – On Dec. 4, 2020, Albemarle Regional Health Services published the following case information:

Camden: 192 lab-confirmed cases, with 22 cases now active. Some 166 people have recovered. Camden County has lost four people to the coronavirus. Camden is experiencing substantial community spread noted with orange, which is the middle rating of the three on the County Alert System.

Currituck: 382 lab-confirmed cases. Some 94 cases are active. Currituck County has lost five people to coronavirus. Currituck is yellow on the on the County Alert System.

Pasquotank: 1,147 lab-confirmed cases. Active cases number 166. Deaths remain steady at 35 people. In the County Alert System, Pasquotank is painted orange, signifying substantial community spread.

Dare County

In the state’s new County Alert System, Dare County is painted orange, showing substantial community spread. Orange is the middle rating of three categories.

On Dec. 4, Dare County reported 10 residents in hospitals and 81 residents in home isolation. One non-resident is isolating in Dare County while 112 non-residents have been transferred to home counties.

Of the nine new Dare cases reported on Friday, six were residents and three non-residents.

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