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DCDHHS COVID-19 Update # 113
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
1:00 p.m.
Dare County COVID-19 Case Update
Dare County continues to experience widespread community transmission of the COVID-19 virus and remains in the red category on the CDC’s community transmission level map. Red indicates a high level of community transmission of the virus. Last week marks the highest number of new positive cases reported (279) in a week since the start of the pandemic. The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests compared to the total COVID-19 tests in Dare County last week was 22.5%.
All people, regardless of their immunization status, aged 5 years and over should wear a mask when indoors in public places. All individuals should consider wearing a mask outside if they are gathering in large crowds. People aged 12 and older should be vaccinated against COVID-19 to help prevent serious illness, hospitalizations and death.
The total number of new positive cases reported in Dare County over the past week was 279. Of the 279 new cases over the past week:
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233 (84%) are symptomatic
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212 (76%) contracted the virus through direct contact with someone positive for COVID-19.
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227 (81%) were not vaccinated. Of the 52 vaccinated cases: 11 had received the J&J vaccine; 23 had Moderna, 18 had Pfizer).
Currently, there are 168 active cases of COVID-19 among residents of Dare County. There are 17 people hospitalized with complications from COVID-19 (15 residents and 2 non-residents).
Reported positive cases only include laboratory-confirmed cases reported by medical providers, emergency care facilities, hospital, or the state, which includes tests performed at area pharmacies. Self-reported, over-the-counter home tests are not counted in the reported count totals, but contact tracing is performed for self-reported positive cases. If an individual tests positive more than once (i.e. retests and stays positive), they are only counted as one case.
Revolutionary cases
When an individual tests positive for COVID-19 more than two weeks after receiving the final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, it is considered a breakthrough case. Cases of vaccine breakthrough are expected. COVID-19 vaccines are effective and are an essential tool in bringing the pandemic under control. However, no vaccine is 100% effective in preventing disease in people who are vaccinated. There will be a small percentage of people who are fully vaccinated who will still get sick, be hospitalized, or die from COVID-19. According to the CDC, there is evidence that vaccination can make the disease less serious for those who are vaccinated and still get sick.
As of the week of April 12, when the first breakthrough case was reported, 2,143 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in Dare County. 1,731 (81%) of these cases were not or not fully vaccinated. Of the 412 breakthroughs:
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246 residents and 166 non-residents
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171 were asymptomatic; 208 reported mild symptoms and 30 reported moderate symptoms
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1 was hospitalized
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0 deaths
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88 had the J&J vaccine
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167 had the Moderna vaccine
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155 had the Pfizer vaccine
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2 had Astrazeneca
The integers provided above are for informational purposes and not an indication of how well one vaccine is compared to others. It should be noted that the Moderna vaccine was the predominant vaccine administered by Dare DHHS. The breakdown of COVID 19 vaccines administered by Dare DHHS is: 5% J&J, 24% Pfizer and 71% Moderna.
COVID Vaccinations in Dare
All people 12 years of age and older are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19 vaccines are readily available in many locations across the county, including the health department and many area pharmacies, such as: Walgreens, CVS, Sunshine Family Pharmacy, Island Pharmacy, Bear Drugs, and Beach Pharmacy.
People aged 12 and over should get vaccinated, whether or not you have had COVID-19 in the past. This is because experts do not yet know how long you are protected against a new disease after your recovery from COVID-19. Even if you have already recovered from COVID-19, you may be infected again with the virus that causes COVID-19. Studies have shown that vaccination provides a large increase in protection in people who have recovered from COVID-19. If you have been treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you must wait 90 days before receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are not sure about the treatments you have received or if you have any further questions about the COVID-19 vaccination.
As of the end of December 2020, a total of 25,449 (69%) of eligible residents of Dare County have received an initial dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 23,971 (65%) are fully immunized.
Booster dose information
We are awaiting information from the FDA and NCDHHS regarding the booster (3rd dose) for people who were fully vaccinated with a COVID mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) at least 8 months ago. We are in the process of organizing several vaccination clinics which will be held in late September, October and November to provide booster doses based on criteria to be published by the FDA and NC DHHS. Registrations are not yet open for these clinics. We will share information on how to start the registration process for these clinics as it becomes available. At present, registration is only open for those who can attest to moderate to severe immune deficiency.
Protect yourself and your family
Epidemiological data from NC DHHS indicates that Dare State and County are in the midst of another wave of COVID-19 infections. The Delta variant is believed to be the most prevalent variant in Dare County today. The CDC and NC DHHS report that this is a significantly more contagious variant. For every person infected with the Delta variant, it is estimated that they can transmit the virus to 6 other people. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself against COVID-19. People who are vaccinated are much less likely to be infected with COVID-19 than those who are not. Based on self-reports during contact tracing interviews, in the small percentage of breakthrough cases, those vaccinated have mild or no symptoms.
In addition to getting vaccinated, you can also protect yourself and your family, including limiting prolonged direct contact with unvaccinated people who do not live in your household and washing your hands frequently with soap and water. or by using a hand sanitizer. It is also recommended that all people in Dare County wear a mask indoors, as Dare County is currently considered an area of high community transmission.
Key indicators
Each week we review the 4 key parameters associated with disease investigation and surveillance. The metrics are:
Last week, 1,242 COVID-19 diagnostic tests were reported in Dare County. This brings the total number of tests done since early March last year to 51,335. There were 279 positive cases between September 6 and September 12. The percentage of positive tests compared to overall tests in Dare County since we started testing in March 2020 has increased to 10.06%. The percentage of positive tests compared to the total number of tests for the last week remains high at 22.5%. Syndromic surveillance of people with COVID-like symptoms in the emergency department and emergency care centers showed an increase in activity compared to the previous week. These graphics can be viewed on the Dare County website at www.darenc.com/covid19.
Communications and information sharing
Dare County DHHS has established a communications schedule to share information regarding COVID-19. Every Tuesday, a written update that includes key COVID-19 metrics from the previous week is released. Additional updates will be released as needed. All posted videos and written updates are available on our website, DHHS Facebook page, Dare County Twitter page, and Dare Emergency Management Twitter page. If you would like to receive these updates directly in your email, please sign up to receive our notifications.
New positive cases are updated on the dashboard and on our website and shared on the DHHS facebook page Monday through Friday. To find the most recent information on COVID-19 cases in Dare County, visit www.darenc.com/covid19. State COVID-19 data is available at https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/dashboard.
Contact us
We encourage you to stay informed by visiting www.darenc.com/covid19 or by visiting the CDC or NC DHHS websites. If you have specific needs or questions, you can also call the Dare County COVID-19 Call Center, open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 252-475-5008.
This version is available in:
English | Spanish
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