UPDATED: Dare County announces fourth and fifth cases of coronavirus

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After announcing earlier today a fourth case of coronavirus diagnosed in a Dare County resident, health officials later said a fifth case was also confirmed Saturday.

The fifth positive patient is the spouse of the second person to test positive in Dare County. Neither are residents of Dare County. Health officials say this is not a case of community spread and the spouses were tested two days apart. Contact tracing of direct contacts associated with both spouses was conducted by public health staff last week. Both spouses have remained in isolation and are improving daily.

The fourth coronavirus patient to test positive, announced on Saturday, is a Dare County resident but is hospitalized outside the area.

“The individual is currently receiving care at a hospital outside of Dare County,” according to Dr. Sheila Davies, Director of the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services. It is unknown at this time how this individual acquired the virus.

Public health staff is conducting an active investigation into this individual’s activity. Anyone who is determined to have had direct contact will be notified by public health staff.

Of the five patients who have tested positive in Dare County, four did not list Dare County addresses. Two of the patients have fully recovered and the two spouses continue to improve, Davies said.

For more information about COVID-19 in Dare County, visit darenc.com/covid19. The Dare County COVID-19 Call Center will reopen on Monday, April 6 at 8:30 a.m. and can be reached at 252.475.5008.

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