<p>A mass public COVID-19 testing in Sampson County saw hundreds tested for the novel coronavirus. The county reported its fifth death on Friday.</p>

A mass public COVID-19 testing in Sampson County saw hundreds tested for the novel coronavirus. The county reported its fifth death on Friday.

Sampson County suffered its fifth death attributed to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), county health officials reported Friday. Sampson’s new cases tallied 36 on Friday to bring the total to 859 positive cases to date, as Duplin surpassed 1,300.

As of Friday, there had been 2,722 tests conducted in Sampson, resulting in 1,475 negatives to go along with the 859 positive patients, according to numbers provided by the Sampson County Health Department. Those numbers are up 105 negatives and 36 positives from Thursday’s numbers.

Last weekend, the county conducted 521 COVID-19 tests as part of a drive-thru testing site open to the public. While many of those results were reflected in Sampson County Health Department reports toward the back half of this week, there were 435 tests pending in Sampson as of Friday.

Of the 859 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Sampson as of Friday, 463 have been listed as recovered, a figure that is up seven from Thursday.

On Friday, Duplin County’s total number of laboratory confirmed positive COVID-19 cases reached 1,331 residents, up 163 in the past week. Of those confirmed positive cases, 347 are currently in isolation and 956 have met clinical criteria to be released from isolation.

Duplin also had three additional deaths over the past week, bringing the county’s total to 28 fatalities related to COVID-19. Of the three most recent fatalities, one patient was in the age range of 50-64 and the other two were older than 65.

Duplin County will hold its fifth COVID-19 drive-thru testing event this Monday, June 22, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Duplin Events Center. It is open to all Duplin County residents, but pre-registration is required for the anterior nares specimen collection event. To schedule an appointment, Duplin residents should call 910-267-2044.

Statewide as of Friday morning, there were 49,840 positive cases and 1,197 deaths due to COVID-19, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS).

Currently, 871 individuals are hospitalized due to the virus, the agency reported, an all-time high. That hospitalization number has continued to rise as testing has spiked, however the number of deaths has leveled off, at least in the past week.

There had been 712,313 COVID-19 tests conducted as of Friday morning.

On Friday, NC Governor Roy Cooper vetoed House Bill 594, which was passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill sought to temporarily authorize existing indoor or outdoor exercise and fitness facilities, gyms, health clubs, and fitness centers to open and resume operations, provided specific conditions are met.

Those facilities have been closed for the past three months.

“Tying the hands of public health officials in times of pandemic is dangerous, especially when case counts and hospitalizations are rising,” Cooper said in a prepared statement, explaining his veto. “State and local officials must be able to take swift action during the COVID-19 emergency to prevent a surge of patients from overwhelming hospitals and endangering the lives of North Carolinians. The bill could restrict leaders who need to respond quickly to outbreaks and protect public health and safety.”

Both Sampson and Duplin health officials continue to urge residents to be cautious.

“As our numbers continue to increase, it is important that citizens also do their part,” Sampson County reiterated throughout this week. “Remember these three things as we stay strong and continue to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19. If you leave home, practice your Ws: Wear, Wait, Wash.”

That includes wearing a cloth face covering if you will be with other people; waiting 6 feet apart; and washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.

“These actions can protect our families and neighbors as the state takes a cautious step forward to ease restrictions while the virus is still circulating,” the Sampson Health Department statement read.

For more general information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus and NCDHHS’ website at www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus. To receive twice daily updates about COVID-19, send a text message with COVIDNC to 898211. To learn more about the COVID-19 response in North Carolina, visit nc.gov/covid19

Those interested can also call the NC 211 Hotline for general inquiries by dialing 211 or 888-892-1162, or the State of NC COVID-19 Call Center at 866-462-3821.

Editor Chris Berendt can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2587.