As we start a new week, here is the status of the outbreak in the counties that make up the 7th District as of 11 a.m. today:
Bladen County: 10 cases, 0 deaths
Brunswick County: 39 cases, 2 deaths
Columbus County: 90 cases, 6 deaths
Duplin County: 66 cases, 0 deaths
Johnston County: 135 cases, 10 deaths
New Hanover County: 72 cases, 3 deaths
Pender County: 10 cases, 0 deaths
Sampson County: 39 cases, 0 deaths
Wayne County: 630 cases, 8 deaths
Statewide, there are 8,830 confirmed COVID-19 cases across 94 counties and 299 deaths as a result of the outbreak.
Independent contractors and self-employed workers out of work because of the COVID-19 outbreak can now apply for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance at des.nc.gov.
If you have already applied and been denied for state unemployment benefits, you may need to provide additional information to apply again. You should sign into your online account and click on the ‘Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance’ link to complete the application process.
If you need assistance filing your PUA claim, call the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance line at 866-847-7209.
So far, North Carolina has paid out a total of more than $636 million in unemployment benefits to more than 280,000 people since the start of the outbreak.
The IRS has announced enhancements to its Get My Payment app that will enable more Americans to use the program to see the status of their CARES Act stimulus payment. If you had attempted to use Get My Payment unsuccessfully, you should try it again here. We have heard from a number of individuals who received error messages when attempting to determine the status of their payment, and it's still likely to be imperfect. But we've heard anecdotally that more taxpayers are using the app successfully following these enhancements. More information from the IRS here.
The Town of Kure Beach has announced it will be opening up beaches and access points for walking, jogging, biking, swimming, and surfing effective Monday at noon. Parking restrictions will be strictly enforced. More information and details available at the town's website here.
Brunswick County has set up a joint information center with a phone line and email address to answer residents’ coronavirus-related questions, available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can call 910.253.2339 or e-mail coronavirus@brunswickcountync.gov with questions.
As a reminder, all North Carolina residents can call 2-1-1 or 888-892-1162 to reach the state's COVID-19 information line if they have questions.
Here's the latest Frequently Asked Questions document from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It includes extensive information about health care, appointments, benefits, the status of VA cemeteries and burials and more. If you or a loved one are a veteran that receives care or benefits with the VA, be sure to read this page closely.
For today's good news story, I'm highlighting Camden Martin and his dad, Jeramy, of Wilmington. Camden turned 10 yesterday. While he was disappointed he had to spend his big day away from his friends, his dad, an Emergency Medical Technician, sprung into action. Vitalink Critical Care trucks, New Hanover County Fire and Rescue trucks, New Hanover County Sheriff’s Department squad cars, and plenty of friends drove by their home to celebrate Camden's birthday. It's just another way our first responders are giving back to our community through this difficult time.
