Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Sept. 4
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases top 174,000
At least 174,254 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 2,839 have died, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Friday reported 2,045 new COVID-19 cases, up from 1,656 the day before.
The health department also reported 36 additional deaths Friday.
On Friday, 7.6% of COVID-19 tests were reported positive. State health officials have said that percentage should be 5% or lower.
At least 955 people in North Carolina were reportedly hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, the most recent date for which data was available. That’s up from the 858 the state reported the day before.
The state on Thursday marked six months since its first reported coronavirus case on March 3.
North Carolina was expected to enter Phase 2.5 of Gov. Cooper’s reopening plan, scheduled to start 5 p.m. Friday. Gyms, playgrounds and museums will be allowed to operate with restrictions.
Cluster reported at Raleigh daycare
Kreepers-N-Krawlers daycare in Raleigh has reported a coronavirus cluster, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
At least four staff members and six children have tested positive, The News & Observer reported. A cluster is defined as five or more cases.
A representative from Kreepers-N-Krawlers did not respond to the N&O’s request for comment.
It’s the second daycare in Wake County to report an outbreak after Goddard School of Holly Springs. The state recorded its first coronavirus-related death connected with a daycare center in August, at Grace Filled Beginnings in Washington County.
Cooper signs COVID-19 relief bill
Gov. Roy Cooper signed a $1 billion coronavirus relief package into law on Friday that will provide a $335 stimulus check for parents.
In a statement announcing the decision, Cooper said House Bill 1105 — labeled the Coronavirus Relief Act 3.0 — closely followed his recommendations for funding school enrollment, high speed internet access and disaster relief. But he said it fell short of expanding Medicaid and supporting small businesses.
“Obviously I don’t agree with every provision, but the funding for pandemic support in this budget is critical and must move forward,” Cooper said.
The law allocates what’s left of the state’s federal coronavirus relief funds and will provide stimulus checks to parents of children under age 18 to help offset the costs of remote learning. It also adds an additional $45.5 million to the state’s Job Retention Program for small businesses.
To qualify, businesses must have kept 90% of their employees from March to May. Those that received a “Rapid Recovery” loan from the state or any funding from the federal Paycheck Protection Program aren’t eligible to apply.
The restaurant industry pushed back against that provision on Friday before Cooper signed the bill.
“(Restaurants/hotels/bars forced to shut down) can’t take on more debt and many will not survive,” Lynn Minges, who leads the N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association, said in a tweet Friday. “Having to keep 90% of your employees to qualify doesn’t help those with most need.”
The bill passed 44-5 in the Senate, with five Democrats voting in opposition. The House of Representatives voted 104-10.
Doctor warns pandemic isn’t over
Atrium Health emergency medicine physician Dr. David Callaway warned Friday the Charlotte area hasn’t yet won the battle against the coronavirus.
Callaway joined a news conference with Mecklenburg County officials after a 10-hour shift at the ER, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“I will tell you we are not out of the woods yet,” Callaway said. “This is not a joke. It is important that we do the simple things, and we do it right.”
He also urged residents to wear masks over the holiday weekend and reminded the public that Charlotte was a coronavirus hotspot earlier in the summer. But the positivity rate and number of hospitalizations in the region have stabilized or declined in recent weeks, according to Mecklenburg County health data.
Callaway’s warning came hours before the beginning of “Phase 2.5” — North Carolina health officials’ plan for easing some COVID-19 restrictions to allow gyms and museums to reopen at limited capacity, the Observer reported.
State extends contract with company behind crashing computer system
The N.C. State Board of Education on Thursday approved extending the contract of the company behind a computer system that repeatedly crashed the first week students returned to online learning.
Identity Automation, which is responsible for the NCEdCloud system that allows many of the state’s teachers and students to access virtual classes, received a one-year contract extension worth $1.7 million.
The coronavirus prompted most school districts across the state to start the academic year with online instruction.
After the statewide computer program failed on Aug. 17 and Aug. 19, State Superintendent Mark Johnson called the outages “unacceptable” and said there would be “blunt discussions” about them.
“We have a very strong amendment now that if something does happen, we’d know there will be accountability on behalf of the taxpayers of North Carolina,” he said Thursday.
Identity Automation as of Thursday didn’t respond to The News & Observer’s request for comment.
More test positive at Durham jail
Eight more staff members and another inmate at the Durham County jail tested positive for COVID-19 during August testing.
A total of 29 cases have been reported in the outbreak, which was reported in August after roughly three months of no known cases. All staff and residents were tested after an inmate tested positive Aug. 7.
Twenty-five correctional facilities in the state have reported coronavirus cases among staff and residents.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools plan for in-person learning
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools plan to prioritize the youngest and most vulnerable students as they debate guidelines for reopening for in-person instruction.
The plans outline three potential options for bringing students back. Additionally, those who opted into the full remote learning option will not have to return if the district does switch to in-person learning.
Under the drafted plan, in-person learning could begin no earlier than mid-September, pre-K through second-grade students could return first, students with special needs and those learning English could also have in-person options first, and students would return to classrooms in phases. The return could also be paused.
The plan comes as some school districts in the Charlotte area have reported COVID-19 cases since teachers and some students have returned. Some schools have shut down while others remain open, requiring the affected people to isolate, The Charlotte Observer reports.
Ad campaign urges mask wearing
A new ad campaign from North Carolina seeks to convince more residents to wear masks to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The ad will be rolled out in English and Spanish.
“While you can’t know who is carrying the virus, you should know that everyone who is wearing a mask has a reason to fight it,” it says.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state health department, said during a news conference Thursday that COVID-19 has disproportionately harmed Black and Hispanic communities and those who are uninsured. She said the department will continue working “with communities to bring these messages to the places and people that need this information the most.”
More UNC cases as some community colleges aren’t reporting
Only some of North Carolina’s 58 community colleges have shared details about the virus’ spread on their campuses, The News & Observer reported Thursday.
The schools that are reporting cases have fewer infections than universities, where most infections have been linked to off-campus gatherings and spread through student housing.
Several community colleges are creating dashboards to report their COVID-19 cases, spokesperson Jane Stancill said.
Meanwhile, UNC-Chapel Hill on Thursday reported its first new on-campus coronavirus cluster in a week.
The outbreak was in Rams Village Building No. 5, an undergraduate apartment complex. The school didn’t share how many students were infected but said those linked to the coronavirus cluster are being monitored and in isolation.
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 6:45 AM.
