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While the health concerns with COVID-19 at the Ahoskie House is deemed resolved, and one at Ahoskie Assisted Living remains stable, there is a secondary outbreak at Bertie Correctional Institute.

On Friday (July 17), Albemarle Regional Health Services (ARHS) reported that the second outbreak at the Windsor-based prison involves four members of the staff.

Also this week, ARHS reported another person in Hertford County has died due to complications with the virus. The individual was over the age of 65.

Hertford County’s death toll now stands at 11.

The news from the Ahoskie House is welcomed as the virus has earlier claimed the lives of eight residents there.

The number of cases across the Roanoke-Chowan area rose against this week, but not in great numbers as seen in other regions of the state. The local numbers, as of July 17, are:

Bertie County – 168 cases (up from 155 last week) with 13 active, 151 recovered, and 4 deaths;

Gates County – 30 cases (29 last week) with 1 active, 27 recovered, and 2 deaths;

Hertford County – 184 cases (178 last week) with 10 active, 163 recovered, and 11 deaths; and

Northampton County – 230 cases (215 last week) with 21 active, 193 recovered and 16 deaths.

As of 11:45 am on July 17, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 95,477 confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide since the pandemic began in March. This number represents an increase of 14,146 cases since the same time last week.

Friday’s report also noted 1,606 deaths statewide, up from 1,503 a week ago. It also revealed there are 1,180 people hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms across North Carolina, an increase of 134 from July 10.