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Hyde County Health Director Luana Gibbs today reported 35 active positive COVID-19 cases with total cases to date at 234.
But according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard, the county’s total cases are 228, and the zip code tracker says 23 of those cases are on Ocracoke. (As of Dec. 20, there are 26 cases on Ocracoke.)
Hyde Health on Dec. 14 reported 218 cases, 27 of which were active, with 10 on Ocracoke.
Hyde Health posts the county’s cases each weekday by about 3 p.m. on its Facebook page. These numbers typically differ from those posted on the N.C. Department of Health & Human Services COVID-19 dashboard, which updates that website at 11 a.m.
“COVID-19 is definitely in our community,” Gibbs said in today’s press release.
With the heart of the Christmas season looming, the following are some things Hyde Health recommended people can do to slow the spread of this virus:
- Consider if you should attend gatherings. Ideally, we should only gather with people within our household.
- If you feel you must socialize with people who do not live with you, limit your indoor gatherings to 10 people or less, outdoor gatherings to 50 or less.
- Wear a mask.
- When time to eat or drink, socially distance by 6 feet or more before removing your mask.
- Have one person serve all the food, to limit the number of guests touching the service utensils or use disposable utensils and dishes.
- Sit together with the people within your household.
- Limit physical contact, like hugs and handshakes.
- Wash your hands regularly.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces that are touched frequently (door handles, sinks, bathroom surfaces).
“Respect your loved ones, neighbors and friends,” Gibbs said. “This has been a difficult year and though we are eager to be with others and live a normal life once again, please be mindful and consider the above strategies.
At least 466,104 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 6,125 have died, according to state health officials.
