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The number of positive COVID-19 tests in Dare County is 60 as of around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23. Twelve of those cases are considered active, with one individual remaining hospitalized and the other 11 in home isolation in Dare County, according to the Dare County Department of Health and Human Services.

Of the 60 total cases, 29 are Dare residents and 31 are non-residents. Since the last DCDHHS update issued Friday, June 19, there have been 16 new positive cases. Of these 16 cases, two are residents and 14 are non-residents. The Dare County website has been updated to reflect these cases.

The two resident cases are not connected, according to DCDHHS. Both individuals are reported to be symptomatic and recovering in home isolation. It is believed these individuals acquired the virus through community spread as neither individual is aware how they contracted the virus.

DCDHHS reports that of the 14 nonresident cases:

– Five are household contacts. Two of those are symptomatic and three are asymptomatic. They acquired the virus by direct contact with another non-resident household member whose positive result was reported June 18.

– Two are siblings and both symptomatic. They reportedly acquired the virus by direct contact with a positive case outside of Dare County.

– Three others are all symptomatic and acquired the virus through direct contact with individuals who tested positive outside of Dare County. None of these cases, however, are connected.

– All 10 of the above cases have been transferred to their home counties and are in isolation in those counties.

– The remaining four of the 14 non-resident cases share a household. Two individuals are symptomatic and two are asymptomatic. It is believed one of the individuals in the household acquired the virus through community spread or travel and then passed the virus to other three household members. These individuals are in home isolation in Dare County, according to DCDHHS.

“We are seeing a number of vacationers go to the area urgent care centers for COVID-19 testing while in Dare County because either they are symptomatic or they have been contacted by someone from back home who informed them they were a direct contact to a positive case,” stated the DCDHHS bulletin. “When they are tested they immediately become classified as a PUI (person under investigation) and must quarantine for up to 14 days.

“If the result comes back positive then we notify and inform them of the specific duration of their isolation period. We cannot force them to leave Dare County. Some choose to leave and some choose to stay. We call them every day while they remain in Dare County to check in on them and when they go home, we transfer their case to their home health department to finish out their isolation monitoring.”

The bulletin further stated that the day the individual is contacted to give the positive test result, DCDHHS immediately starts work on contact tracing, which includes everyone in their house at the present time as well as any other contacts they may have had while in Dare County prior to testing or onset of symptoms. All direct contacts are notified to quarantine for 14 days and encouraged to get testing right away if they have symptoms or, if they are asymptomatic, they are asked to wait six days from the first day of exposure to be sure they don’t get a false negative, according to DCDHHS.

“Being in the same grocery store or at the same gas station as an individual who tests positive does not make you a direct contact. Being 6 ft or closer for 10 minutes or greater to an individual who tests positive makes you a direct contact,” stated the bulletin. “Since there are asymptomatic carriers of the virus we must all practice the 3Ws (wear, wait and wash) to protect ourselves and our families.”

The county reports a total of 357 appointments have been booked for the COVID-19 antibody and diagnostic testing event set for Tuesday, June 30 in Kill Devil Hills. There are no more appointments available for antibody testing, but there are still diagnostic drive through testing appointments available. To schedule an appointment, call 252-475-5008 Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information on testing, visit www.darenc.com/covidtesting.

The bulletin stated this past week had the highest number of COVID-19 diagnostic tests performed by healthcare providers in Dare County at 323 tests. This brings the total number of tests performed since early March to 1,991.

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