Reported coronavirus cases increase by more than 2,000 in NC; hospitalizations drop
North Carolina reported more than 2,000 new coronavirus cases Thursday, but hospitalizations dropped after two days of record-setting highs.
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 120,194 confirmed COVID-19 cases, up 2,344 from Wednesday. The single-day increase falls short of the record 2,481 reported new cases set on July 18.
The reported number of deaths from COVID-19 across the state increased to 1,903, up 38 fatalities from Wednesday, according to the NC DHHS.
On Thursday, DHHS reported that three more cases of MIS-C, or Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, were reported last week. The syndrome is associated with COVID-19. DHHS reported the first case in North Carolina in May.
The syndrome is rare, but serious. It can affect body organs, including the heart and lungs.
DHHS said in its weekly surveillance report that the people going to hospital emergency departments with COVID-like illness decreased in most parts of the state last week, but are still higher than typical for this time of year.
The state is in Phase Two of Gov. Roy Cooper’s reopening plan. It was set to end July 17, but Cooper extended it until at least Aug. 7, because of what he called ‘troubling’ coronavirus trends. In the meantime, gyms and some other businesses have remained closed.
On Tuesday, Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said key coronavirus indicators were beginning to stabilize. But she Thursday, she noted the day’s increase of new cases.
“We had seen a 10- to 12-day stabilization in our cases, but today saw another high day of cases,” she said at a news conference.
New cases need to do more than stabilize, but they need decline, she said.
“We do not want to stabilize the high rate of new cases,” she said.
The reopening of universities and some K-12 schools to in-person instruction could have an impact on trends.
Reported hospitalized patients fell to 1,239 statewide, down by 52 from Wednesday’s total, ending a two-day run of records as high as 1,291. With 89 percent of hospitals in North Carolina reporting, the state reported roughly 100 fewer empty intensive-care beds and nearly 600 fewer inpatient beds than it had Wednesday.
Testing for COVID-19 continued to surge statewide as the total passed 1.7 million Thursday. The rate of positive results rose to 8 percent, higher than state’s goal of 5 percent.
The 25 to 49 age group has the highest level of cases, and makes up nearly half the state’s total. The mortality rate is highest, though, among older residents. More than half the state’s COVID-19 deaths have come to patients older than 75.
The updated totals came as Shop Local Raleigh and ABC11 announced Thursday that the annual Raleigh Christmas Parade will be virtual rather than live in November. The state also announced this week that the State Fair is canceled this year.
This story was originally published July 30, 2020 at 12:22 PM.