More than 1,340 new reported coronavirus cases in NC, as percent positive remains high

Laboratories confirmed another 1,342 coronavirus cases in North Carolina on Monday, bringing the total to 63,484 since the state’s first reported case in March.

The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 14,400 coronavirus tests completed Monday, bringing the total to 886,305. The percentage of cases that were positive Monday was 9%, down 1 percentage point from Sunday.

The state has encouraged testing and in recent weeks has suggested people who have been in crowds at places such as protests or speedways, as well as those with underlying health conditions that are risk factors for more severe cases of COVID-19 to get tested, even if they don’t have symptoms.

Thousands more residents are being tested each day, compared to early June.

The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 843 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday, with 75% of hospitals reporting. The state reported 890 hospitalized COVID-19 patients on Sunday, with 78% of hospitals reporting.

As of Monday, the state’s number of coronavirus patients presumed to be recovered was 45,538.

Gov. Roy Cooper last week extended Phase Two of a plan that eased restrictions on business and leisure activities because of rising COVID-19 hospitalizations, rising lab-confirmed coronavirus cases, and positive lab tests for coronavirus hovering around 9% and 10%. State health officials want positive tests to be around 5% of the total. Cooper last week also made face coverings mandatory in public. Phase Two was to expire on June 26, but has been extended to July 17.

The Republican-led legislature has been pushing to allow bars and gyms to reopen. The legislature failed to override Cooper’s veto of a bill that would have allowed bars and gyms to reopen. The legislature passed another gym reopening bill last week. It would require gyms to take safety precautions.

DHHS reported a total of 1,325 deaths in the state since the pandemic began, with an additional 3 deaths reported Monday.

Though older people are at greater risk of death from COVID-19 — 80% of those who haves died were 65 or older — most of the people confirmed positive by laboratory tests are younger. In Wake County, the average age of those testing positive for coronavirus was 44, and in Durham, the average age was 38, according to the latest information from the counties.

This story was originally published June 29, 2020 at 1:19 PM.