New COVID-19 cases in NC set another record for the second consecutive day
New COVID-19 cases hit a second consecutive single-day record with 2,684 recorded Friday.
These new lab-confirmed cases break the record of 2,532 cases recorded Thursday.
The state Department of Health and Human Services recalibrated the chart on its data dashboard Friday, which was originally created to show a maximum of 2,500 new cases in a day.
With the new cases, the state has now recorded 241,623 coronavirus infections since the pandemic started in March.
The state’s increase mirrors coronavirus trends rising across the nation. Many states also have been setting records in coronavirus cases, The New York Times reported. The COVID-19 Tracking Project, which compiles data on all states and U.S. territories, wrote this week that the third surge of the pandemic has begun.
In North Carolina, hospitalizations, new cases and hospital emergency room visits by people with COVID-like symptoms are trending up for the month.
DHHS reported 1,148 people with COVID-19 were in hospital Thursday, with 97% of hospitals reporting. DHHS adjusted the number of COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized Wednesday, dropping the number by nine to 1,131.
DHHS says the information on its data dashboard, including its hospitalization data, is preliminary and subject to revision.
Thursday, Gov. Roy Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen, DHHS secretary, said the state’s trends are going in the “wrong direction” and issued a more urgent call for people to comply with basic safety protocols, including wearing a face mask and avoiding large gatherings.
“There’s not one geographical area or industry to blame,” Cooper said. “I know we’re all tired of this. It’s frustrating to feel confined and to do the things we need to do to slow the spread of the virus. But we can’t let weariness and frustration win out.”
The White House Coronavirus Task Force’s latest report says the state is back in the “red zone” for new COVID-19 cases, The Center for Public Integrity reported, meaning there are 100 new cases for every 100,000 people.
New coronavirus infections are rising as the flu season is starting. On Thursday, DHHS announced the first flu-related death of the season was a person older than 65 who lived in the central part of the state and died in the first week of October.
Cohen said the state’s hospitals have plenty of capacity at the moment but expressed concern about smaller hospitals as flu season looms.
Mecklenburg County Health Director Gibbie Harris said overwhelmed hospitals in western counties are sending patients to the Charlotte and Winston-Salem regions, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan, which allowed bars, amusement parks and movie theaters to open with restrictions, started Oct. 2 and is set to expire Oct. 23.
At Thursday’s news conference, Cooper did not say whether he would extend Phase 3 or reimpose some restrictions, The News & Observer reported. He said the state’s next steps will be determined by following two or three weeks of data.
DHHS reported 36 additional COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the total to 3,910 since the first two in March.
The percentage of coronavirus tests taken Wednesday that were positive stood at 6.3%, higher than the 5% positivity rate health officials want.
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 12:48 PM.