• Over the weekend, North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services reported the state’s highest one day number of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases with 1,370 cases reported. The percent of tests that were positive climbed to 10 percent. In addition, hospitalizations have exceeded 700 for three of the past five days.

• The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has announced that high schools across the state will be permitted to resume athletics again starting on June 15. NCHSAA also released guidelines for returning to play, designed to help administrators, coaches, parents and student athletes resume sports activities in a safe, gradual manner.

• Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza announced the next steps for the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which was signed into law by President Trump this past Friday. Specifically, SBA, in consultation with Treasury, will promptly issue rules and guidance, a modified borrower application form, and a modified loan forgiveness application implementing these legislative amendments to the PPP. These modifications will implement changes that include:
• Extending the covered period for loan forgiveness from eight weeks after the date of loan disbursement to 24 weeks after the date of loan disbursement.
• Lowering the requirements that 75 percent of a borrower’s loan proceeds must be used for payroll and that 75 percent of the loan forgiveness amount must have been spent on payroll costs during the 24-week loan forgiveness covered period to 60 percent for each of these requirements.
• Providing a safe harbor from reductions in loan forgiveness based on reductions in full-time equivalent employees for borrowers that are unable to return to the same level of business activity the business was operating at before February 15, 2020.
• Increasing to five years the maturity of PPP loans that are approved by SBA on or after June 5, 2020.

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the Farmers to Families Food Box Program has distributed more than five million food boxes to American families affected by the COVID-19 crisis. As the program ramps up, the USDA expects as many as 40 million boxes of food will be delivered by the end of June.  This is an innovative program that is helping support both our producers and our families in need due to the coronavirus outbreak.

• As we begin a new week, here is the status of the COVID-19 outbreak in the counties that make up the 7^th District:
• Bladen County: 162 cases, 2 deaths
• Brunswick County: 142 cases, 3 deaths
• Columbus County: 368 cases, 27 deaths
• Duplin County: 1,006 cases, 19 death
• Johnston County: 620 cases, 19 deaths
• New Hanover County: 259 cases, 5 deaths
• Pender County: 108 cases, 1 death
• Sampson County: 597 cases, 4 deaths
• Wayne County: 1,306 cases, 20 deaths
• Statewide, we have 35,546 cases and 996 deaths due to the COVID-19 outbreak. 696 individuals are currently hospitalized due to the virus, and North Carolina has completed more than 511,200 tests so far.
• The latest statistics on the COVID-19 outbreak in North Carolina can always be found here.

• Each Friday, the CDC updates a weekly summary of COVID-19 activity across the country. Here’s the key finding for this week:
• "Nationally, levels of influenza-like illness and COVID-19-like illness and the percentage of specimens testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continue to decline or remain stable at low levels. Mortality attributed to COVID-19 also decreased compared to last week but remains elevated above baseline and may increase as additional death certificates are processed.
• View the full report here.

• Here is the latest update from Brunswick County on testing, contact tracing and other efforts to slow the spread of the virus within the county. Access it here.

• Cape Fear Valley Health is modifying the patient visitation policy at Bladen County hospital and its other facilities. One care companion per day for most inpatients is now being permitted between Noon and 8 p.m. daily. Patients age 17 and younger may have two care companions who are the patient’s parents or legal guardians. Care companions will have rules to follow, such as wearing a mask, completing a health screening temperature check and respiratory questions. Access is limited to the patient’s room. Clergy are permitted to visit between Noon and 8 p.m. More info available here.

• Here are the latest stats on unemployment benefit payments and claims from the N.C. Department of Commerce’s Division of Employment Security:
• $3.301 billion in unemployment payments have been made since March 15, including more than $1.767 billion in federal pandemic unemployment insurance authorized by the CARES Act.
• So far just over a million individuals in North Carolina have filed unemployment claims, the vast majority of which have been online rather than over the phone. 10,282 claims were filed this past Thursday alone.
• More information, and DES’ full update, is available here.

• Pender County’s libraries in Burgaw and Hampstead are now open to the public, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., during Phase Two of the state’s reopening. The libraries will continue to offer outdoor pickup service to customers who do not wish to enter the libraries. More information is available on Pender County’s website here.