After reaching record highs, rolling average of new NC COVID-19 cases dips Monday
With a second straight day of decreasing confirmed COVID-19 cases, North Carolina’s seven-day average was the lowest it has been in more than a week, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
There are 1,336 new cases of COVID-19, according to DHHS’s Monday data, bringing the total case count since the pandemic began in March to 278,028.
The seven-day average of new daily cases saw a surge late last week after the state had its three highest new case counts on consecutive days, but fell from a record high 2,370 Sunday to 2,327 Monday.
Averages are useful in better accounting for highs and lows, as well as seeing broad trend lines. For instance, Monday’s daily case number fell dramatically, which is typical for a Monday. But Monday’s seven-day average of new daily cases is the third-highest since the pandemic began. It was only topped by Saturday and Sunday’s averages.
On Saturday, the last day for which information is available, DHHS reported that 6.2% of tests came back positive. Since Oct. 21, the seven-day average positivity rate has stabilized between 6.4% and 6.6%, above the 5% targeted by state health officials.
The reported number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 rose to 1,146 on Monday, a slight increase. Monday’s figure was based on reporting from 94% of the state’s hospitals.
DHHS also reported seven additional COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total in North Carolina since the pandemic started to 4,390 people.
COVID-19 cluster report
In its weekly report on COVID-19 clusters, DHHS said 48 new clusters have been identified, with 746 cases associated with new or ongoing clusters.
DHHS considers a group of cases as a cluster if there is a likely link between at least five cases, with either a positive test or COVID-19 symptoms developing in a 14-day period. The only places required to report clusters are child care facilities, schools and congregate living settings like nursing homes or farmworker housing. Other clusters must be either self-reported or discovered through contact tracing.
The most new clusters were found in K-12 schools with eight. There were also 66 new COVID-19 cases associated with clusters at K-12 schools, DHHS reported. No deaths have been linked with any of the 49 clusters at a K-12 school.
DHHS linked the most new cases with clusters at college or universities across the state, with six new clusters found and 338 cases associated with higher education clusters. Like K-12 schools, there have been no deaths linked with clusters at colleges or universities.
This week’s cases at colleges and universities are at their lowest level since August, according to the DHHS report. In total, 2,297 cases have been linked with 297 higher education clusters.
The report tracks clusters dating back to May 22
The state health department also highlighted six new clusters among government services facilities statewide, with 29 cases and one death tied to the cluster.
On Oct. 26, DHHS reported no reports of clusters at food processing plants in October. That changed this week, with one new cluster at a meat processing plant and 17 new cases.
Clusters at processing plants have been linked with 3,859 cases and 19 deaths since the state started tracking them in April.
Presumed recovered
The state health department estimates that 246,318 North Carolina residents who were diagnosed with COVID-19 have recovered, according to a weekly report released Monday afternoon. That’s about 88.6% of the total cases diagnosed in North Carolina.
DHHS releases the figure to give a “general sense” of how many COVID-19 patients have gotten better. It assumes that people who were not hospitalized recovered two weeks after testing positive, while people who were hospitalized but did not die recovered four weeks after testing positive. Patients’ actual recovery times could vary, according to the department’s report.
This story was originally published November 2, 2020 at 12:55 PM.