The state of North Carolina has more than 700 reported coronavirus-related hospitalizations, the highest one-day total since the pandemic hit the state in March, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported Wednesday.

The DHHS reported there are 702 people in the state’s hospitals with COVID-19, an increase of 81 from Tuesday and the highest one-day total in May.

Despite the increase, the DHHS reported 29% of the state’s inpatient hospital beds and 22% of the ICU beds are available. The DHHS totals are based on 92% of the state’s hospitals reporting.

According to the DHHS data, there are 24,628 total confirmed cases of coronavirus, an increase of 488 from Tuesday and an uptick in cases after the Memorial Day weekend.

There have been 794 deaths in North Carolina from COVID-19, an increase of 28 from Tuesday’s report, according to the data.

There now have been 364,156 completed tests for COVID-19 in the state — 11,825 completed since Tuesday — 6.7% have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The positive rate is one of the benchmarks that Gov. Roy Cooper and DHHS officials are using in determining the transition rate in the state’s reopening phases and the easing of restrictions.

Because of the Memorial Day weekend, which also marked the beginning of the state’s modified Phase 2 for reopening, fewer tests were completed, fewer labs reporting the test results and fewer positive confirmed cases.

The state has averaged 634 daily reported coronavirus cases over the last seven days of as Tuesday.

The News & Observer is keeping track of coronavirus cases and deaths, with numbers greater than state reports. The state reports data at about 11 a.m., while the N&O keeps track of new cases announced by counties throughout the day. As of Wednesday evening, that total is 24,915 cases and 844 deaths.

According to the DHHS’s weekly report, it’s estimated that 14,954 people have recovered from the virus in North Carolina. Data on recoveries is released each Monday.

The DHHS reports include demographic breakdowns that show people who are 65 or older make up 18% of the positive cases. But the same age group has accounted for 84% of the deaths.

The death rate among males has been slightly higher than females, 52 to 48%. There have been no recorded deaths by anyone age 24 or younger, DHHS reported.

Outreach efforts

DHHS is trying to reach more African Americans and Latinos with information on how to prevent coronavirus infections.

People of color are more hard hit by the coronavirus. While data on race and ethnicity is not complete, 31% of confirmed coronavirus cases are among African Americans, and 36% are among Hispanics, as of Wednesday. African Americans comprise 22% of the state population, according to the U.S. Census, and Hispanics are less than 10%.

Thirty-five percent of reported COVID-19 deaths are among African Americans, and 6% of deaths are among Hispanics.

DHHS said Wednesday that it is working with Radio One to air messages from former U.S. Rep. Eva Clayton, the Rev. Prince R. Rivers and Dr. Roxie Wells.

Rivers is the senior pastor at Union Baptist Church in Durham, and Wells is president of Hoke Healthcare.

DHHS also has videos featuring Rivers, North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, Dr. JacQuetta Foushee, a psychiatrist, and Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, a primary care doctor who recorded videos in both English and Spanish.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave some reasons for the disparity. Among them are that African Americans and Hispanics are more likely to work in service industry jobs and live in more densely populated areas, making it harder to social distance. Racial residential segregation is linked to underlying health conditions that make coronavirus infections more dangerous.

Unemployment office head removed

The state unemployment office has a new leader, former state Rep. Pryor Gibson.

Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday that Gibson had been appointed assistant secretary for the Division of Employment Security, The News & Observer reported.

Gibson replaces Lockhart Taylor, who has been moved to another job.

The office has not been able to keep up with the flood of unemployment claims, leading to long waits for benefits and complaints.

Staff writer Will Doran and Insider editor Colin Campbell contributed.

This story was originally published May 27, 2020 at 12:04 PM.

Chip Alexander

The News & Observer

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In more than 40 years at The N&O, Chip Alexander has covered the N.C. State, UNC, Duke and East Carolina beats, and now is in his 15th season on the Carolina Hurricanes beat. Alexander, who has won numerous writing awards at the state and national level, covered the Hurricanes’ move to North Carolina in 1997 and was a part of The N&O’s coverage of the Canes’ 2006 Stanley Cup run.