Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on May 29
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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.
Cases exceed 26,000
At least 26,849 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 919 have died as of Friday evening, according to state and county health departments.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Friday reported an additional 1,076 cases of the virus, up from 784 reported the day before.
The case count spike comes as the state reported 15,704 new tests, up from about 11,000 on Thursday.
The state is averaging 696 daily cases of the virus over the last seven days as of Friday.
Health officials estimate that 14,954 people have recovered from the virus in the state. Data on recoveries is released once a week, on Mondays.
Hospitalizations drop from high
At least 680 North Carolina patients were in the hospital with COVID-19 on Friday, down from the highest-ever daily total since the start of the pandemic.
The new count came after two record-setting days of hospitalizations, with 702 reported Wednesday and 708 reported Thursday.
As of Friday, the state’s seven-day hospitalization average was 645.
Tax credit bill filed
A bill filed in North Carolina this week calls for giving tax credits to parents whose children don’t attend public schools. The proposal would give eligible families as much as $2,500 for each student who goes to a private school and as much as $500 for children who are homeschooled.
Some state lawmakers say the proposed legislation provides families financial relief during the coronavirus pandemic. But a critic says it diverts money from public schools, The News & Observer reported.
RNC outlines preliminary safety measures
North Carolina health officials on Friday asked Republican National Convention leaders for more details about expected crowd size and social distancing measures at the upcoming event.
The GOP convention is scheduled to be held in Charlotte from Aug. 24-27, and Gov. Roy Cooper said health experts in his administration have been talking for months with organizers on how to run it safely.
On Monday, President Donald Trump threatened to move the convention from North Carolina if Cooper did not immediately give an answer on whether full attendance would be allowed.
“We’re not on any timeline here. We want to work with them. We look forward to them submitting plans to us,” the governor said. “We have yet to see them.”
tweaks next 2 graphs hereOrganizers of the convention asked Cooper, Democrat, to approve some preliminary safety measures, such as daily online health questionnaires, thermal scans of mandatory attendees and pre-arranged health checks.
The information was in a letter, which the governor’s office on Thursday night said didn’t amount to an official plan.
Media coalition sues
A media coalition of more than two dozen organizations, including The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer, filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking the release of coronavirus-related records the state has so far refused to provide.
Gov. Roy Cooper and two of his cabinet secretaries and two of his secretaries are named as defendants.
The suit includes 26 outstanding requests to the state Department of Public Safety and the state Department of Health and Human Services — including the database of cases, without personal information, the database tracking PPE requests, prison inspection reports and communication between officials.
The governor said during a news conference on Thursday that his office is committed to following the state’s Public Records Act.
“Number one, we want to make sure that we comply with the public records laws and I want to make sure that every agency in state government does that,” he said. “Number two, this administration is making a lot of data available, particularly as it relates to COVID-19 and working hard to make sure that data is available more and more every single day.”
Limited information on meatpacking plants
North Carolina is still limiting information about coronavirus cases at meat processing plants in the state.
Outbreaks at meat processing facilities are reported to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, but the state isn’t telling the public where they occur, The News & Observer reported Thursday.
Officials say they are aware of more than 2,000 workers who have tested positive for COVID-19. The state has released the counties in which outbreaks have occurred, but not the specific facilities.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, N.C. DHHS secretary, has said she’s concerned the list would be incomplete and discourage cooperation from companies.
“What we are saying is this may not be the universe of all of them, so by naming them individually, I think we are calling out ones, frankly, that raised their hand and said, ‘We want to work with you,’” Cohen said. “And we continue to want to encourage them to do that, because that’s the right thing to do from a public health perspective.”
Deadlines extended for businesses
North Carolina businesses given grants from the state have extra time to meet their required goals.
The Job Development Investment Grant program from the North Carolina Department of Commerce gives tax breaks to companies and is used to attract new businesses and jobs. It also requires that businesses meet annual hiring and investment requirements.
But due to the coronavirus pandemic, the department is allowing businesses to carry the requirements into 2021, giving companies more time to meet set goals.
Voting bill passes House
A bill that would make it easier to vote by mail in the 2020 elections passed almost unanimously in the North Carolina House of Representatives on Thursday.
State officials have said they expect as many as 40% of North Carolinians could vote by mail this year due to the public health concerns surrounding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The bill puts millions of dollars toward preparing for that increase and toward health concerns at polling places. It also makes requesting mail-in ballots easier and the completion of them simpler.
The state Senate is scheduled to take up the bill next week.
Bill to reopen bars passes NC legislature
A proposal that calls for reopening North Carolina bars passed the state Senate and House on Thursday. If the bill becomes law, the establishments would be allowed to serve customers during Phase Two of Gov. Cooper’s plan to lift statewide coronavirus-related restrictions.
Currently, bars are ordered to remain closed, and restaurants must operate at limited capacity.
Under the new bill, restaurants, breweries and similar establishments that have already been allowed to reopen would “seat 50% capacity, or 100 customers — whichever is less — outside, in addition to the 50% capacity already allowed inside,” The News & Observer reported.
The proposed legislation will now go to Cooper after passing 42-5 in the Senate and 65-53 in the House.
This story was originally published May 29, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
