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The effects of COVID-19 are still being felt across the Roanoke-Chowan area.

As of Friday, May 22, the number of confirmed cases of the virus continued to increase locally. Bertie County’s cases (109) show a steady increase, up from 74 one week earlier.

Bertie’s numbers show 79 recoveries and three deaths.

Northampton’s cases inched up over the past week, now numbering 137 (125 last week at this time). Ninety-seven of those patients have recovered from the virus.

Unfortunately, Northampton’s death toll also increased this week. The county has lost 12 of its citizens to the virus, an increase of three in the past seven days. The majority of Northampton’s deaths have occurred at Rich Square Nursing & Rehab. There, eight patients and one staff member have died from among the 50 confirmed cases of COVID-19 at that facility.

Hertford County reported 60 lab-confirmed cases as of May 22, with 42 of those patients listed as recovered. There has been one death in the county.

Hertford County listed 49 cases a week ago.

Gates County’s numbers also continue to climb, now with 19 cases, up from 12 on May 15. Gates also reported its first COVID-19 death this week. That person was over the age of 65 and succumbed to complications related to the virus.

This week, Albemarle Regional Health Services (ARHS) reported it was working with the Ahoskie House to manage an outbreak there involving three staff members.

ARHS also reported that previously reported cases at Bertie Correctional Facility of Windsor (six staff and 10 inmates) and Rivers Correctional Institution (22 staff and 20 inmates) of Winton remain stable at this time.

An earlier outbreak at Three Rivers Rehabilitation Center in Windsor (2 residents and 1 staffer) is considered resolved, according to ARHS officials.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported the following cases as of Friday, broken down by R-C area zip codes (showing only those with more than 5 cases):

Ahoskie – 31 (1 death)

Aulander – 10

Colerain – 23

Conway – 13 (2 deaths)

Garysburg – 6

Gaston – 19

Gates – 5

Kelford – 5

Merry Hill – 6

Murfreesboro – 10 (1 death)

Powellsville – 6 (1 death)

Rich Square – 45 (9 deaths)

Seaboard – 5

Windsor – 52 (1 death)

Winton – 23

Woodland – 29 (1 death)

As of Monday (May 18), the NCSHHS reported 11,637 individuals who tested positive for the virus have recovered.

As of 11 a.m. on Friday, May 22, NCDHHS was reporting 21,618 cases and 728 deaths statewide. There were 568 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Friday.

Just over 300,000 tests have been administered.

Of the statewide deaths, a combined 457 have occurred at nursing homes/residential care home/correctional facilities.