Triangle COVID-19 trends: Hospitalizations decrease while statewide numbers tick upward
North Carolina’s coronavirus cases continue their weeks-long increase, sparking concerns among health officials and prompting Gov. Roy Cooper to keep the state in Phase 3.
But in the Triangle’s three counties — Wake, Durham and Orange — coronavirus-related hospitalizations have decreased, according to data reported by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
As of Tuesday, the latest day for hospitalization reporting, the state Department of Health and Human Services reported that there are 270 hospitalizations in healthcare regions in the Triangle. On Oct. 12, that number was 302.
Still, Wake County is one of the 36 counties in North Carolina that received a letter from state health officials asking it to consider enacting actions to “improve compliance” with executive orders, The News & Observer reported. Johnston County also received the letter. Those 36 include the three most populous counties; had 300 new cases in the last 14 days; or have had more than 50 cases for every 10,000 residents, according to a news release.
Wednesday, in response to the coronavirus cases trending in the wrong direction, Gov. Roy Cooper announced North Carolina would remain in Phase 3 of the reopening plan. That means capacity restrictions on places like bars, movie theaters and outdoor stadiums.
Gathering limits remain at 25 indoors and 50 outdoors as state health officials caution people to follow the same rules for private gatherings as they would public ones.
Case numbers in the Triangle
As of Wednesday, Wake County has reported 20,021 COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, an increase of 819 since last week. There have been 266 deaths.
Durham County has now reported 8,705 cases as of Wednesday, an increase of 386 over last week. There have been 99 deaths.
Orange County reported 2,977 cases, an increase of 103 since last week, according to data from the county. There have been 58 deaths.
Hospitalizations
The Triangle comprises three healthcare regions: Capital Region Healthcare Preparedness Coalition, Duke Healthcare Preparedness Coalition and Mid Carolina Regional Healthcare Coalition.
CapRAC includes Wake, Johnston, Franklin, Harnett and Lee counties. There were 69 people hospitalized Tuesday, the most recent data available. That’s an increase from 59 a week ago.
DHPC contains Durham, Caswell, Person, Granville, Vance and Robeson counties. There were 74 people hospitalized Tuesday, down from 105 a week ago.
MCRHC contains Orange, Chatham, Alamance, Moore, Montgomery, Sampson, Cumberland and Hoke counties. There were 127 people hospitalized Tuesday, a decrease from 138 people a week ago.
Statewide, hospitalizations have increased from 1,122 a week ago to 1,219 on Tuesday with 97% of hospitals reporting. Hospitalizations statewide have topped 1,000 since Oct. 6.
Congregate living data
The state releases data on outbreaks on nursing homes, long-term care facilities and other congregate care facilities on Tuesdays and Fridays.
As of Tuesday, Wake County has outbreaks at four nursing homes, totaling 166 cases and 23 deaths. The county has four outbreaks at residential care facilities, totaling 41 cases and three deaths.
There have been 40 cases at the Wake County Detention Center.
Durham County has outbreaks at eight nursing homes, totaling 276 cases and 22 deaths.
There have been 106 cases and one death at Durham Ridge Assisted Living.
Orange County has outbreaks at two nursing homes, totaling four cases.
There have been 11 cases at Crescent Green of Carrboro.
Congregate living data reported by DHHS may be revised and reflects when the cases are reported, not necessarily when they’re diagnosed.
A closer look at Wake, Durham and Orange counties
Here is a look at COVID-19 data in Wake, Durham and Orange counties, as of Oct. 20.
▪ Percentage of positive tests. Durham County reported a one-week average of 5.2% positive tests Orange averaged 2.8% of tests returning positive, and Wake averaged 3.7%.
▪ Demographics. Hispanic people accounted for 55% of Durham County’s COVID-19 cases, and 37% of Wake’s, according to DHHS, despite being less than 15% of the population in both counties.
Black and Hispanic people in Orange County continue to account for more cases per capita than white people. Black people account for 15% of the county’s cases and just 11% of the county population.
White people in Orange account for 60% of cases and 74% of the population. Hispanic people account for 30% of the cases, though they account for less than 10% of the county’s population.
This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 6:15 AM.