North Carolina’s COVID-19 hospitalizations jump to second-highest number since March
COVID-19 hospitalizations reported in North Carolina on Monday were the second highest since the coronavirus pandemic began in March.
Fifty-three more people were counted as dying from COVID-19 related illness, bringing total fatalities to 3,992 since the first two in March.
Not all deaths reported on a day may have died on that day. The state Department of Health and Human Services reports the fatalities as they are confirmed.
Hospitals reported 1,203 people with COVID-19 being treated as inpatients, with 97% of hospitals reporting, according to DHHS. July 28 was the peak for reported COVID-19 hospitalizations, at 1,236 people.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, DHHS secretary, has called hospitalizations a “lagging indicator,” because people receiving in-patient treatment were infected days or weeks before they were admitted.
A surge of infections
North Carolina and other states are seeing a surge of coronavirus infections.
The state’s new COVID-19 cases are among the highest in the country, The News & Observer reported.
DHHS on Tuesday reported 1,578 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total since the pandemic began in March to 248,750.
DHHS said Monday that 218,541 people are presumed recovered from COVID-19 symptoms. The estimate is based on when people tested positive for the coronavirus and whether or not they were hospitalized.
On Sunday, 7.4% of coronavirus tests returned positive results, higher than the 5% positivity rate state health officials want.
Phase 3 status
Phase 3 of loosened pandemic restrictions started Oct. 2 and added bars, movie theaters and amusement parks to the businesses that were able to open at reduced capacity. Phase 3 is set to expire Friday.
In a news conference last week, Gov. Roy Cooper did not say whether he would extend it.
Unlike the infection peak in August that was linked to university students returning to campus, this month’s case increases aren’t connected to any one activity or location, Cohen said at a news conference last week.
DHHS says the information on its data dashboard, including hospitalization data, is preliminary and subject to revision.
This story was originally published October 20, 2020 at 1:48 PM.