The number of North Carolina counties in the CDC’s orange zone with the highest community level of COVID-19 has more than doubled in a week.

The map released Thursday shows 41 counties colored orange, more than 10 times as many as there were two weeks ago. Last week, just four counties were in the high-risk category, compared to ten this week.

Wayne County is listed at a Medium risk level. The CDC recommends residents in Wayne County to stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines. Get tested if you have symptoms. Wear a mask if you have symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19. Wear a mask on public transportation. You may choose to wear a mask at any time as an additional precaution to protect yourself and others. If you are at high risk for severe illness, consider wearing a mask indoors in public and taking additional precautions.