A key COVID-19 indicator moves farther from its target in NC
Newly reported COVID-19 cases in North Carolina remained about level on Wednesday, but a key indicator — the percent of tests that are positive — moved away from a desired target.
The state counted 1,137 lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases Wednesday, up from Tuesday’s 1,106. The new cases bring the total in North Carolina to 188,024 since the pandemic started in March.
The state Department of Health and Human Services counted 38 more COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, for a total of 3,149 since the first two were reported on March 26.
A key indicator, the percent of tests that are positive each day, had been hovering around the 5% target. The rate for Monday — the most recent day of data available — was at 5.8%, the highest it had been in six days. The World Health Organization suggests a positivity rate of 5% or lower for 14 days before reopening.
DHHS says all its COVID-19 data is preliminary and subject to revision. Positivity rate and hospitalizations are adjusted often.
DHHS reported at least 918 people with COVID-19 were hospitalized Tuesday, the most recent day available, with 96% of the state’s 112 hospitals reporting. That’s up from 906 COVID-19 patients reported hospitalized on Monday.
Watching for Labor Day effects
New cases tend in increase a few weeks after holidays. North Carolina had a spike in new cases on July 16-18, after the Fourth of July weekend.
Gov. Roy Cooper allowed gyms, playgrounds, museums and other attractions to open with occupancy limits on Sept. 4, the start of the Labor Day weekend.
DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said at a news conference Tuesday that last week’s metrics were positive, but it will take 14 to 21 days to know whether Labor Day or the easing of restrictions on leisure activities pushed up numbers.
“We still need to see how this week goes,” she said. “We are making progress and I’m really proud of the hard work North Carolina has done. We are truly a standout in the South, and I want to continue that.”
She is scheduled to offer a deeper assessment of the metrics at a Thursday news conference.
The recent improvements come as parents are increasing pressure on local school districts to offer in-person instruction. Wake County is considering options for bringing students back to classrooms, The News & Observer reported. Johnston County started the school year with all-virtual instruction, but voted last week to begin bringing students back to school buildings beginning this month, starting with special education students and Pre-K students.
Though large urban counties are at the top for COVID-19 cases, death rates are higher in rural counties than in urban and suburban counties, The Charlotte Observer reported.