The coronavirus pandemic continued its rapid spread across North Carolina Saturday as Wake County reported a new death and the virus claimed two more victims in a Louisburg nursing home.

NC DHHS reported 6,140 confirmed cases, up 281 from Friday’s total. Of those infected people, 388 remain hospitalized. Deaths from COVID-19 reached 164, the state reported.

Wake County’s fourth death was an 85-year-old woman, who died on April 16, Wake officials said.

State health officials also released new totals on the virus’ toll on nursing homes: at least 818 cases and 43 deaths — a figure that represents more than a quarter of NC fatalities. The state cautioned that those numbers are incomplete.

The Louisburg Nursing Center in Franklin County reported another two deaths from COVID-19 Saturday, bringing its total fatalities to eight.

Another three are hospitalized, said Scott Lavigne, county health director. Residents have also died in nursing homes in Clayton and Mt. Olive.

The virus is also spreading in state prisons. More than 280 of 770 inmates at Neuse Correctional Institution in Goldsboro have tested positive for COVID-19, the Charlotte Observer reported, making it one of the hardest-hit prisons in the nation.

The News & Observer is keeping a separate count of cases based on reports from DHHS and county health departments, which tends to be higher because the state updates its total once daily.

As of Saturday, the N&O’s count stood at 6,366 cases and 185 deaths statewide.

The updated total comes on the 19th full day of Gov. Roy Cooper’s statewide stay-at-home order, which limits crowd size to 10 and closes all but essential businesses. On Monday, the state also began limiting the number of people inside open businesses to 20% of the fire code limit.

Though the governor faces some opposition from groups worried about the economic slowdown, tighter restrictions have followed as the state’s COVID-19 case number continues to climb by triple digits daily.

On Friday, Durham officials announced face masks would be required while shopping or riding public transit in both the city and county, though riders without them will not be turned away.

On Saturday, Cooper urged people to help deliver food and essential services, encouraging residents to sign up for help at coronacommunity.org.

“Defeating this virus is going to take compassion and neighbors looking out for one another,” the governor said in a Saturday tweet.

This story was originally published April 18, 2020 at 1:15 PM.