Four Dare County residents in the higher-risk age group of 65-and-over are among the 10 locals who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the first six days of October, according to the Dare County Dept. of Health and Human Services. They are two women and two men.
During the same time, seven nonresidents have tested positive for COVID-19 while in Dare County, the DCDHHS dashboard reports.
All 17 people are in home isolation. No one has been hospitalized.
Since a spike of eight COVID-19 cases reported by DCDHHS on Sept. 28, daily case counts locally have averaged four. No cases were reported on Sunday, and so far, none has been reported today.
As of 1 p.m. today, a total of 568 COVID-19-positive cases have been reported since March by the DCDHHS, 309 Dare County residents and 259 nonresidents. Seventeen cases among residents are currently active, including one person who remains hospitalized outside of the area, according to the dashboard.
The breakdown in ages of the 568 cases is as follows:
17 and under: 71 (12.5 percent)
18 to 24: 131 (23 percent)
25 to 49: 189 (33 percent)
50 to 64: 111 (19.5 percent)
65 and older: 66 (12 percent)
At the Governor’s COVID-19 briefing last Wednesday, NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen offered a characterization of the “risk of viral spread” that we believe is worth repeating.
According to Dr. Cohen, the State’s contact tracing reveals that the risk of viral spread is greatest:
- Among extended family members and close friends who “let down their guard” when they are together;
- In congregate living settings where people are “living in close quarters”;
- In large gatherings, such as in restaurants, religious settings, and college campuses.
When Dr. Sheila Davies, director of the DCDHHS, does her Tuesday and Friday updates on COVID-19 cases locally, her analyses of viral transmission often show #1 above occurring.
ACCOUNTANT TO PRESENT RESULTS OF FY 2019-20 TOWN AUDIT
Teresa Osborne, CPA, of the Nags Head accounting firm of Dowdy & Osborne will present the results of her fiscal year 2019-20 audit of the Town of Southern Shores at today’s Town Council meeting, which convenes at 5:30 p.m. in the Pitts Center.
Ms. Osborne’s presentation will occur within minutes of the start of the meeting, before reports by Town staff. We encourage all Southern Shores property owners to tune in to hear what she says.
(See The Beacon, 10/2/20, for a preview of the Town Council meeting agenda, which will include a discussion of proposed beach-nourishment easements.)
The public may attend the meeting in-person, subject to facial-masking and social-distancing, or join via Zoom.
The Zoom ID for the Town Council meeting is 932 9270 1434; the passcode is 242462. You also may listen to the meeting on the telephone by dialing (646) 558-8656, and then entering the meeting ID and passcode, followed by the # key.
A PERSONAL NOTE: In The Beacon’s 10/2/20 post, I promised to update the Dare County COVID-19 “scene” on Saturday. Because of a sudden change in my family circumstances, I was unable to follow through on that promise. For the same reason, I may have difficulty reporting quickly on today’s Town Council meeting. I will post an article as soon as I can. Thank you.
Ann G. Sjoerdsma, 10/6/20
The Southern Shores Beacon 