Dare health officials report three new coronavirus cases and one death – but not from COVID-19

Dare County Health and Human Services learned Friday that a resident who tested positive for COVID-19 has died, but not from the virus.

“The cause of death for this individual was from other causes, non-covid, and is therefore not classified as a COVID death,” the health department said in a Friday afternoon update.

The number of positive COVID-19 tests in Dare County as of Friday was 510, eight of which are active among residents of Dare County. Of the 510 cases, 271 are residents and 239 are non-residents.

As for the person’s death, the health department released the following information:

“North Carolina’s COVID-19 Associated Death Case Definition, a coronavirus disease 2019 associated death is defined for surveillance purposes as a death resulting from a clinically compatible illness that was confirmed to be COVID-19 by an appropriate laboratory test. There should be no period of complete recovery between the date of COVID-19 diagnosis and the date of death.”

According to state rules, a death should not be reported as a COVID-19 death if any of the following are true:

  • There is no laboratory or other diagnostic confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection.
  • Novel coronavirus illness is followed by full recovery to baseline health status prior to death. 3. After review and consultation there is an alternative agreed upon cause of death.

Since the last health department update on Tuesday, there have been eight new positive cases. Of these, four are residents and four are non-residents.

Of the new resident cases:

  • Two of the cases are connected. Both are symptomatic and acquired the virus by direct contact with an individual whose positive test result was reported on 9/13.
  • One individual is symptomatic and acquired the virus by direct contact with an individual who tested positive outside of Dare County.
  • One individual is asymptomatic. It is unclear how this individual acquired the virus.

Of the four new new non-resident cases:

  • Two of the cases are family members, both are symptomatic. It is unclear how these individuals acquired the virus.
  • One individual is symptomatic and acquired the virus by direct contact with an individual who tested positive outside of Dare County.
  • One individual is symptomatic. It is unclear how this individual acquired the virus.

Contract tracing has been completed on 7 of the new cases and direct contacts provided by these individuals have been identified, notified, and directed to quarantine for 14 days from the last date of exposure with the positive case. We are currently in the process of working with one individual to identify and notify their direct contacts.

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