North Carolina adds another 1,000-plus cases to its coronavirus total
North Carolina added more than 1,000 new cases to its coronavirus total Friday, a smaller gain compared to Thursday’s steeper climb, but still higher than this week’s earlier trend toward decline.
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 142,170 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 1,346 from Thursday’s total.
While far lower than the single-day record of 2,481 set July 18, and the numerous 2,000-plus days in late July, Friday’s updated caseload shows steadier growth than on Monday through Wednesday, which saw daily climbs closer to 1,000 cases.
The pandemic’s death toll rose to 2,313 in North Carolina, up 26 fatalities from Thursday.
The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients fell to 1,049 statewide, down 21 from Thursday’s total. DHHS reported 397 suspected COVID-19 patients were admitted to hospitals in that time.
Ninety percent of hospitals reported their data.
The rate of positive test results remained at 6%, near where it has hovered all week, and close to the 5% rate state health officials have kept as a goal.
DHHS stresses that the figures on its daily COVID-19 dashboard are preliminary and can be adjusted retroactively. Officials say they’re best understood over a period of days to best show a trend.
Thursday, Dr. Mandy Cohen, the NC DHHS Secretary, said the state is starting to see the stabilization of new cases, hospitalizations, the percent of positive tests and people with COVID-like symptoms, The News & Observer reported.
But she cautioned that measures are still needed to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.
“Our progress is fragile,” she said.
Hospital beds remained available statewide, though North Carolina saw reports of its available intensive-care beds fall slightly to 509 Friday.
More than half of the state’s deaths from COVID-19 have struck people older than 75. While white residents represent 58% of the state’s casualties, Black citizens’ fatalities stood at 31% of the total, greater than its 22% of the population.
Testing continued to ramp up across the state, reaching 1.87 million Friday.