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(WGHP) — North Carolina continues to battle COVID-19, but cases are in decline.

Since mid-September, daily cases have been trending downward following a surge in late July, August and the first half of September, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The surge peaked on Sept. 11, with 11,337 new cases reported that day.

On Monday, 1,599 new cases were reported in the state.

While 99 of North Carolina’s 100 counties* remain in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “high” category for community transmission, the test positivity rate varies greatly from county to county.

According to the latest data from the CDC, Orange County is seeing the lowest test positivity rate over the last seven days, at 2.58%.

Gates County has the highest seven-day test positivity rate, at 18.83%.

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Counties in the FOX8 viewing area range from 12.04% on the high end, in Davie County, to 6.21% on the low end, in Guilford County.

As of the latest data from the NCDHHS on Sunday, there were 1,852 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the state.

*Hyde County is in the CDC's second-highest tier, "substantial" community transmission.