• As we begin a new week, here’s a snapshot of how the outbreak in North Carolina as a whole and the counties of the 7^th District specifically stands:
• Bladen County: 100 cases, 2 deaths
• Brunswick County: 83 cases, 2 deaths
• Columbus County: 327 cases, 26 deaths
• Duplin County: 794 cases, 12 deaths
• Johnston County: 440 cases, 17 deaths
• New Hanover County: 189 cases, 5 deaths
• Pender County: 75 cases, 1 death
• Sampson County: 462 cases, 4 deaths
• Wayne County: 1,112 cases, 20 deaths
• Statewide, North Carolina has 28,589 confirmed COVID-19 cases. 886 deaths in the state have been attributed to the virus, and 416,289 tests have been completed so far.
• The most up-to-date statistics are available from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services here.

• North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has issued an order that places moratoriums on both utility shutoffs and evictions in the event a resident doesn’t make their utility bill or rent payments. Specifically, the evictions moratorium prevents landlords from initiating eviction proceedings against a tenant for nonpayment of rent, and prevents landlords from assessing late fees or other penalties due to nonpayment. The utility shutoff moratorium prohibits utility disconnections for customers, as well as late fees, penalties or other charges incurred due to a failure to pay. More about the order is available here.

• The CDC has updated its guidance for schools and day camps, useful as communities begin to scale up activities and reopen. You can view the latest guidance here.

• New Hanover County announced its highest daily increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases on Friday, as well as the county’s fifth death from the virus. County health officials urged continued vigilance about the virus and asked residents to continue measures to slow the spread. The latest update from the county government is here.

• Johnston County continues to update its COVID-19 information page. Click here for the latest data.

• On Tuesday, June 9^th, the Small Business Administration is hosting a webinar on how to help businesses prepare for and recover from severe weather as we begin the 2020 hurricane season. More information, and the link to access the webinar, is available here.  The webinar will cover the following topics:
• Developing a greater awareness of risks
• Business continuity planning
• Having adequate insurance coverage
• SBA disaster assistance

• Here is the latest information from the Department of State for individuals with questions about getting passports issued or renewed. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, passport services are severely limited and the State Department warns you may face delays of up to several months to receive your passport and returned proof-of-citizenship documents. The Department is offering in-person services only for customers who need to travel internationally within 72 hours due to a qualifying life-or-death emergency.

• As the nation begins to slowly re-open, travel is likely to start to resume as well. The CDC is frequently updating its guidance for both domestic and international travelers, you can view it here.

• Here are some answers to frequently asked questions for people who receive their CARES Act stimulus payments via a prepaid debit card. Among the questions answered:
• Can I use my Economic Impact Payment (EIP) Card to buy groceries and make other purchases at stores? 
• Can I use my EIP Card to make purchases online? 
• How can I get cash using my EIP Card?1
• Can I transfer the funds from my EIP Card to my bank account?

• Two additional changes to the EIP Card program that make it more consumer friendly:
• The EIP Card provider has agreed to offer one free replacement card. (The fee was $7.50 per replacement card.) The card provider will credit anyone who has been charged the $7.50 fee for the first replacement card.
• The EIP Card provider has increased the limit on ACH transfers to a bank account from $1,000 per transaction to $2,500 per transaction. 

• North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services has launched an interactive online tool to help you find your nearest COVID-19 testing site. There are now more than 300 testing sites statewide offering COVID-19 tests. 

• CVS has announced it will offer COVID-19 testing at 55 CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across North Carolina, including three in the 7^th District:
• 2302 South 17th Street, Wilmington, NC, 28401
• 4600 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, NC, 28403
• 1132 East Cutler Crossing, Leland, NC, 28451

• The Department of Veterans Affairs has begun releasing weekly COVID-19 response reports to outline how the Department is working to care for veterans during the crisis. As of the end of the day Tuesday, the VA has tested more than 172,000 veterans for COVID-19, resulting in 11,315 positive diagnoses. A total of 3,621 patients have been admitted to VA facilities for COVID-19 care and the system has 546 current inpatients with COVID-19 as of Tuesday.