As of Friday, the Wayne County Health Department is tracking 709 positive cases of COVID-19. 469 of these cases are offenders at the Neuse Correctional Institute in Goldsboro, 44 cases are from a congregate care facility, and 196 cases are from outside a congregate care facility.

The health department received notice of two additional deaths this week. The first individual passed away on May 2, 2020 and was in their late thirties with underlying medical conditions. The second individual passed away on May 7, 2020 and was in their late sixties with underlying medical conditions. The current total number of COVID-19 related deaths in Wayne County is 13.

As North Carolina moves into phase 1 of easing restrictions, it is important to remember simple steps you can take to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Wear a face covering in public, wait 6 feet apart from others, and wash your hands often. The Wayne County Health Department continues to provide daily updates to case numbers via its data dashboard at www.waynegov.com/coronavirus.