Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on April 28
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We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date news about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Reported cases and deaths
North Carolina has reported at least 9,739 cases of the coronavirus as of Tuesday afternoon, and 361 people have died, according to state and county health departments.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 426 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, up from 312 reported the day before.
The state has completed more than 112,000 coronavirus tests, about 9% of which have come back positive.
At least 463 North Carolinians were hospitalized with COVID-19 on Tuesday, down from 473 the day before. The state saw its most hospitalizations so far Thursday, with 486.
All but four of North Carolina’s 100 counties have reported at least one case of the virus, and 60 have reported at least one death.
Protesters arrested
ReOpenNC leader Ashley Smith and three other protesters were arrested at a rally Tuesday after violating police instructions by stepping onto the sidewalk outside the governor’s mansion in Raleigh, The News & Observer reported.
ReOpenNC has been calling on Gov. Roy Cooper to rescind restrictions in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Tuesday marked the group’s third rally, which drew hundreds of protesters.
About a dozen health care workers also attended and asked that North Carolinians adhere to the state’s stay-at-home order.
ReOpen Meck, an “offshoot” of ReOpenNC, has a protest planned for May 1 in the “heart of uptown” in Charlotte.
Nursing home lawsuit
A court has been asked to review a Rowan County nursing home’s staffing and hygiene policies.
The request from lawyers representing residents of the nursing home, The Citadel Salisbury, is part of a new lawsuit against the facility, which is home to the worst nursing home outbreak in the state.
Officials say 144 people at the facility have tested positive for the coronavirus and 16 have died.
The suit accuses management, owners and leaders ”of bungling the nursing home’s response to the disease,” The News & Observer reported.
UNC System students sue
Some students are suing the UNC System, its Board of Governors and their universities.
The students are seeking to be reimbursed for their tuition and fees, saying they were deprived of the services they paid for when their campuses shut down due to COVID-19, such as “in-person instruction, access to campus facilities, student activities, and other benefits and services.”
The UNC System has started giving out prorated housing and dining reimbursements to students.
The system, which includes 16 universities, told The News & Observer it won’t comment on pending litigation.
NASCAR race
Gov. Roy Cooper said Tuesday that NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 race is still set to run at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 24.
The governor said his office has had conversations with NASCAR about the race and that is has plans for social distancing protocols that public health officials reviewed and approved with suggestions.
“We believe that unless the health conditions go down that we can have the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend in Charlotte,” Cooper said in a news conference. “I think that NASCAR will be making that announcement. We believe that’s what will happen.”
Island ferries
A service that moves passengers between Ocracoke and Hatteras islands is canceled due to concerns about social distancing.
The N.C. Department of Transportation “says it’s easier to keep people apart on its car ferries, where it encourages passengers to remain in their vehicles or stand at least six feet apart while on board,” The News & Observer reported.
Legislative session
State lawmakers are gathering in Raleigh on Tuesday for a session that will probably focus on COVID-19. A House committee has introduced bills that address topics related to the coronavirus pandemic, including taxes, education and medical equipment.
Outbreak at women’s prison
At least 70 coronavirus cases have been reported at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women in Raleigh.
That’s up from fewer than a dozen cases last week, The News & Observer and the Charlotte Observer report.
State prisons halted their work release program in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, but many inmates at the women’s prison had previously left the facility for work and rode public transportation.
Republican National Convention
The Charlotte City Council approved a $50 million security grant on Monday for the Republican National Convention scheduled for August, but officials expressed skepticism the event will go on as planned in the city.
The event is expected to draw 50,000 people, The Charlotte Observer reports.
This story was originally published April 28, 2020 at 6:44 AM.
