Wake County passes 150 coronavirus deaths. How is the rest of the Triangle faring?
Wake County’s reported death toll from the coronavirus has passed 150 people, its public health division reported Thursday.
Total reported fatalities from COVID-19 stood at 151, which is 14 more deaths since the state Department of Health and Human Services updated its count Wednesday afternoon. Wake reported its total caseload at 11,527.
Durham County reported 5,989 confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to DHHS. The county put its fatality count at 79 Thursday.
Orange County, meanwhile, reported its coronavirus total at 1,308 cases. Fatalities stood at 45.
The updated totals come as Gov. Roy Cooper extended Stage Two of the state’s reopening plan until at least Sept. 11, meaning bars and gyms will stay closed and crowd sizes will be limited across North Carolina past the Labor Day holiday.
State health officials said Wednesday the state’s number of COVID-19 cases remains too high and needs to be monitored as schools and universities reopen under pandemic restrictions.
Schools in coronavirus limbo
▪ Wake hopes students can return for in-person classes by late October or early November. All public school students will begin the academic year through online learning as the district is not ready for students on campus with COVID-19 numbers so high.
▪ UNC-Chapel Hill students return to campus this week but the Orange County health director has asked that the university use online classes for at least five weeks into the fall semester.
▪ Thales Academy in Wake Forest will quarantine the entire fourth grade after a student there tested positive for the coronavirus. The private school began classes in July, and Vice President Mike Pence and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos visited the Apex campus last week to discuss reopening during the pandemic.
▪ Public school students in North Carolina may still have to attend school in person for standardized tests even if they are taking online classes.
This story was originally published August 6, 2020 at 11:44 AM.