Dare County Reports 39 COVID-19 Cases April 5-13
The Dare County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reports 39 new COVID-19 cases in the last eight days, April 5-13.
This past week there were 27 new positive COVID-19 cases in Dare County. The virus continues to be predominantly spread by close contact between family members, co-workers and close friends. The percent of positive tests to total tests for this past week decreased from 7.49% to 6.57%. The total COVID-19 positive case count in Dare County is 3,034 of which there are 38 active cases among residents of Dare County. One resident remains hospitalized due to complications from COVID-19.
Since the last report on 4/6, there have been 39 new COVID-19 cases. Of these 39 new cases:
-
30 (78%) are symptomatic
-
33 (85%) acquired the virus by direct contact with an individual or individuals who were positive for COVID-19.
We know we can control the spread of the virus by practicing the 3Ws so please wear a face covering, wait 6 ft apart from others and wash your hands. In addition to the 3Ws, the most effective tool in controlling the spread of this virus is to get your COVID vaccine.
COVID-19 Vaccine
The DHHS is offering two vaccine clinics this week. On Friday, April 16th, they will offer a Moderna vaccine clinic and on Saturday, April 17th, they will offer a Pfizer vaccine clinic. Appointments are required and are still available for both of these clinics. You can register online at www.darenc.com/covidvaccine or email [email protected].
Out of an abundance of caution, the DHHS is following the federal and state recommendations and immediately suspending administration of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine while the CDC and FDA review cases involving adverse events. As of April 12th, more than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S. and there have been reports of six cases of severe blood clots in women between the ages of 18 and 48, which occurred 6-13 days after vaccination. The CDC will convene a meeting of the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices (ACIP) tomorrow (4/14/21) to further review these cases and assess their potential significance. Right now, these adverse events appear to be extremely rare. People who have received the J&J vaccine who develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider. Health care providers are asked to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.
Over the past 14 weeks, the DHHS has provided 15,062 initial doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and have fully vaccinated 12,616 individuals. To date, the DHHS has not received a report of any fully vaccinated individuals in Dare County getting sick from COVID-19. In addition to preventing serious illness and death, getting your COVID-19 vaccine prevents you from being quarantined if you are exposed to a person who tests positive for COVID, as long as you remain symptom free. Now is a great time to get your vaccine so you can be fully vaccinated before the busy summer season is upon us.
Any NC resident or property owner age 16 and older who wishes to receive the vaccine can now be vaccinated in Dare County. To register please go to the county website now at www.darenc.com/covidvaccine to complete the vaccination request form.
If you have registered on the county website for a vaccine and no longer need your appointment, please email [email protected] so they can remove you from the waitlist. Additionally, please only register one time through the website. If you are unsure if your registration was successfully submitted you may call the DHHS at 252-475-5008 or send an email to [email protected] to check. This will help them be as efficient as possible when scheduling appointments.
Key Metrics
This past week there were 411 COVID-19 diagnostic tests reported in Dare County. This brings the total number of tests performed since early March of last year to 36,560. There were 27 positive cases between April 5 and April 11. The percent of positive tests to overall tests in Dare County since we started testing in March 2020 decreased slightly to 8.27%. The percent of positive tests to total tests for the past week alone decreased to 6.57%. Syndromic surveillance of individuals presenting with COVID like symptoms to the emergency department and urgent care centers continues to show low levels of activity. These graphs can be found on the Dare County website at www.darenc.com/covid19.
“Non-resident” cases are those who do not have a Dare County address listed on their identification card, including visitors, non-resident property owners, individuals living and working in Dare County for the summer, and those who may have recently moved to the area and have not yet been able to update their identification card.
Cloth face masks or coverings are mandatory to be worn in any public spaces where social distancing can’t be maintained in Dare County and throughout North Carolina.
Local and state health officials continue to strongly encourage everyone to follow the 3 Ws – wear a cloth face covering if you will be with other people, wait at least six feet apart and avoid close contact with other people, and wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
______________________________
