More than 500 North Carolinians have now died from the novel coronavirus since the outbreak began.

As of Thursday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Resources is reporting 507 residents have died from COVID-19. It was a single-day increase of 30 more reported deaths compared to Wednesday’s total. There are 13,397 positive cases of the coronavirus currently reported as well.

The state reached the benchmark just less than one month after recording 100 deaths from the virus on April 14. Testing efforts have more than doubled since then, with the state health department reporting 171,328 having been administered across the state as of Thursday morning.

Ten of those deaths reported on Thursday came from Orange County. The county’s reported coronavirus-related deaths jumped from 20 to 30, according to the state health department. Orange County reported its first death on April 9.

North Carolina is preparing to begin its gradual reopening on Friday at 5 p.m. Governor Roy Cooper signed the executive order on Tuesday, saying state health officials have seen enough leveling and stabilizing of reported cases to enter the initial phase. Some retail businesses will reopen, while social distance requirements and the stay at home order remain in place.

To see all the daily increases and for more information from NCDHHS, visit Chapelboro’s Coronavirus Tracker web page.

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