Hyde County yesterday reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19 and announced plans to lift on May 11 entry restrictions imposed upon Ocracoke non-resident property owners. The county’s Board of Commissioners also yesterday extended Hyde’s stay-at-home order until May 22.
The Hyde Board of Commissioners had previously adopted the guidelines set forth in Governor Roy Cooper’s statewide stay-at-home order, which, set to expire April 29, was extended last week to May 8. Hyde County’s extension to May 22 tracks with the extension announced by Dare County of its Stay Home-Stay Healthy order.
Hyde County lifted restrictions on the entry of non-resident property owners to the county’s mainland on April 9. The county seat is Swan Quarter.
Ocracoke entry information: http://www/hydecountync.gov/ocracoke-covid/index.php
Mainland entry: http://www.hydecountync.gov/mainland_covid-19_entry/index.php
Yesterday’s announcement: http://hydecountync.gov/Press%20Release%20-%20SOE%20Admendment%204.pdf
Hyde County’s report of its first COVID-19 case means that among counties in Eastern North Carolina, only Camden County, which is between Currituck and Pasquotank counties, has not reported a case. Only four other counties in North Carolina have not reported a confirmed COVID-19 case, and they are all in the western mountains.
The N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services today reported 571 more confirmed cases of COVID-19 over yesterday’s total, marking the state’s largest single-day increase. The previous high for a single-day increase was Friday’s total of 444 new cases.
NCDHHS also reported an increase in the number of COVID-19-related deaths of 20, for a total of 289 deaths.
The Beacon does not usually report case or death totals, but we considered the record single-day increase significant in light of the metrics outlined by NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen at the Governor’s press conference last Wednesday. Governor Cooper said he was extending his stay-at-home order until May 8 because the case data do not yet justify reopening the state by initiating Phase One of a three-phase plan he outlined.
Among the telltale metrics that must decline before reopening will begin, the Governor said, are the number of lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases over a 14-day period and the number of positive COVID-19 test results over 14 days.
Ann G. Sjoerdsma, 4/25/20
The Southern Shores Beacon 