Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The number of newly diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the Roanoke-Chowan area continues to decline….falling by 50 percent across the region over the past week.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) reported that as of March 17, there were only seven newly diagnosed cases in the four R-C area counties, down from a combined 14 cases one week prior.

For the second consecutive week there were no new cases in Gates County.

Bertie County and Hertford County each had three new cases last week, marking a decline three and one new case respectively.

Meanwhile, newly reported cases in Northampton County fell from four to one last week.

Albemarle Regional Health Services did report a local COVID-related death last week. That individual resided in Bertie County and was over the age of 65.

That marked the second straight week that a Bertie resident died as a result of complications with the virus. It also raised the Roanoke-Chowan area death toll from COVID to 249 individuals since the pandemic began in March 2020. Seventy of those deaths have occurred in Bertie County.

ARHS also reported that a COVID outbreak at Bertie Correctional Institution in Windsor has been resolved.

Statewide, NCDHHS reported that new cases and hospitalizations continue to decline. There were 1,223 new cases of the virus and 769 individuals hospitalized due to COVID complications as of March 17. Those numbers are down from the previous week (1,833 newly reported cases and 1,093 hospitalized).

In comparison, there were 20,286 new cases and 5,090 hospitalized reported by NCDHHS on Jan. 26.

COVID-19 vaccinations and testing remain available in the local area. For more information contact the Gates County Health Dept. (252-357-1380), the Bertie County Health Dept. (252-794-5322), the Hertford County Health Dept. (252-862-4054) or the Northampton County Health Department (252-534-5841).

Vidant Health has 14 locations across eastern North Carolina to help you get tested for COVID-19. If you need a test, please visit VidantHealth.com/safecommunities to find a Vidant testing location near you.

NCDHHS reminds everyone that the COVID-19 vaccine is available for free to all who want it. Vaccination is now open to everyone 5 and older. Visit MySpot.nc.gov to find a location.

To strengthen and extend protections against COVID-19, boosters are now available to all North Carolinians ages 12 and older. You should get a booster as soon as you are eligible.

If you received the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you can get your booster five months after your second shot. If you received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you can get your booster two months after your shot.

You can choose any brand of COVID-19 vaccine for your booster shot. Limited preliminary evidence suggests that booster doses of one of the two mRNA vaccines — Moderna or Pfizer — more effectively raise antibody levels than a booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The CDC also recommends a third dose of Pfizer for children ages 5 to 11 who have compromised immune systems.

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccines, visit YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov or call the COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center for free at 1-888-675-4567.