Positive COVID-19 tests down slightly, but still higher than NC’s target
The percentage of COVID-19 tests that returned positive Monday fell slightly from the day before, but the seven-day average remained higher than health officials want, according to the state’s Wednesday coronavirus update.
On Monday, the latest day for which the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has data, 6.4% of COVID-19 tests came back positive. That was down from 7.9% the day before.
The seven-day average for percent positive remained at 6.2% and has been slightly increasing over the last week. On Sept. 25, the average was 5.1%.
State health officials have indicated that they want the average at 5% or lower.
DHHS reported an additional 1,711 coronavirus cases statewide, bringing the total in the state since the beginning of the pandemic to 222,969.
As of Wednesday, 3,693 North Carolinians have died due to the virus, increasing by 23 from Tuesday.
DHHS reported 1,028 COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide with 93% of hospitals reporting. That number has been steadily increasing over the last several weeks.
‘This thing is not over’
Gov. Roy Cooper, at a press conference Tuesday, urged the public to continue following safety measures as hospitalizations increase statewide.
“This thing is not over,” Cooper said.
Cooper said President Donald Trump has downplayed the severity of the coronavirus and called the response from the White House “frustrating.”
“You can see what happens when those things occur, even when there’s testing going on,” he said.
Trump and at least 18 others who work in the White House or met with the president have COVID-19, according to The New York Times, including U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
This story was originally published October 7, 2020 at 5:21 PM.