New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations drop in North Carolina, DHHS reports
New lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases dropped by nearly 1,000 Wednesday, to 1,129 from Tuesday’s 2,111.
North Carolina has had 170,553 confirmed coronavirus infections since the pandemic began in March.
COVID-19 hospitalizations also dropped, to 858 patients on Tuesday, the state Department of Health and Human Services reported. That represents 88 fewer patients were than reported hospitalized Monday, and reaches a low not seen since June 21, when 845 people were reported hospitalized.
Hospitalization data depends on how many of the state’s 112 submit it, and that number is not consistent. Though DHHS reported total hospitalized patients on its data dashboard, it had not updated information early Wednesday afternoon to include the percent of hospitals reporting.
The most recent information on the percent of positive tests is for Monday, when 7.6% of tests were positive.
DHHS says all its COVID-19 data, including hospitalizations, is preliminary and subject to revisions.
The state reported 38 additional COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total to 2,779.
On Friday, the state will enter Phase 2.5 of the gradual resumption of business and leisure activity in the pandemic. Gov. Roy Cooper announced Wednesday that gyms and other fitness centers, museums, playgrounds and aquariums can open with occupancy limits.
Cooper raised the limit on indoor and outdoor gatherings. Twenty-five people will be able to meet indoors and 50 people will be able to gather outdoors.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, DHHS secretary, said at the news conference Tuesday that COVID-19 metrics have largely stabilized. Fewer people have been showing up at hospital emergency departments with COVID-19 symptoms, declining steadily from a peak in mid-July. However, the numbers remain far above the baseline, Cohen said.
Hospitalizations are trending down. The numbers are elevated, Cohen said, but hospitals have room for patients.
Daily new cases peaked in mid-July and increased again in mid-August, when universities opened for the fall semester, she said. New case numbers have trended down over the past two weeks, but are still too high, Cohen said. The test positive percentage is stable, Cohen said, but higher than the 5% or below that health officials want.
This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 2:07 PM.