Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Nov. 5
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We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Daily case total nears record high
At least 285,661 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 4,548 have died, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday reported 2,859 new COVID-19 cases, up from 2,425 the day before and the second-highest daily total since the start of the pandemic. The latest figure is below the record 2,885 cases reported on Oct. 29.
The state on Wednesday reported 50 coronavirus-related deaths. Health officials reported the highest single-day total since the start of the pandemic on Tuesday with 67 deaths.
About 6.6% of tests were reported positive as of Tuesday, the latest day for which data is available. That’s higher than the 5% target set by health officials.
At least 1,193 people in North Carolina were reportedly hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Thursday, an increase from 1,184 the day before. Wednesday’s preliminary hospitalization total was listed as 1,186.
UNC researchers say COVID-19 not mutating significantly
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have found the virus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 isn’t mutating significantly — meaning a vaccine should be effective against it.
The research was published in the journal Cell Reports and was based on genetic sequencing, The News & Observer reported.
Most of the coronavirus cases in North Carolina appear to have stemmed from people who were infected on a cruise ship in Italy and returned home, meaning they were likely the result of community spread instead of “international transmissions,” according to The N&O.
The variations of the virus, however, that occurred in the state’s rural and urban areas weren’t the areas in which tests and vaccines are based on.
“The virus is very stable, and whatever little (changes) we see don’t affect testing and they don’t affect the vaccine,” Dirk Dittmer, a professor of microbiology and immunology at UNC, told The N&O.
Reopening schools hasn’t caused spike in cases
Health officials in North Carolina said Thursday the state’s sudden rise in COVID-19 cases isn’t the result of K-12 public schools reopening.
During the State Board of Education meeting on Thursday, Dr. Betsey Cuervo Tilson said it’s not children between the ages of 0 and 17 that are “driving our increases.” Tilson is the state health director and N.C. Department of Health and Human Services chief medical officer.
“Although yes there are cases and there are clusters in school settings, and we all expected that, we are still not seeing our school settings as a big driver of the cases,” she said.
Elementary schools in North Carolina were allowed to reopen for in-person instruction in October. Most high school and middle school students, however, continue to learn online.
In Wake County, the state’s largest school district, officials have reported 25 confirmed COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks — including 20 cases this week.
Cooper calls for end of politicized response to pandemic
In his first press briefing since winning reelection Tuesday, Gov. Roy Cooper said he wants politics to be removed from the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor pointed to many North Carolinians opting not to wear a face covering “based on a political outlook,” The News & Observer reported.
“Now we don’t have to worry about that,” he said, “and we can move forward with facts and science.”
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, also warned people to be vigilant during the holiday season, saying it could lead to larger spread and higher case loads. She said families should get screened for the virus ahead of time and to try to gather in outdoor areas instead of inside.
“I know folks want and need to be together during the holiday,” Cohen said. “We can’t eliminate risk, but we can decrease it.”
UNC to offer free testing as students go home for break
UNC-Chapel Hill is providing COVID-19 testing at no cost for students who leave for winter break.
The semester ends Nov. 17, and saliva-based tests will be offered at the Carolina Union that week.
The school is urging all students, including those without symptoms, to get tested before leaving Chapel Hill. Students who feel sick or may have been exposed to COVID-19 should schedule tests through Campus Health, The News & Observer reported Thursday.
“Taking a COVID-19 test is an important step in protecting your family and friends who you may be reunited with over the Thanksgiving holiday,” said Ken Pittman, campus health director.
Malls plan precautions for Santa visits
Malls in North Carolina are making changes to Santa visits this holiday season as the coronavirus continues its spread.
Some Charlotte-area shopping centers will ban sitting on Santa’s lap, instead permitting kids to take photos and share their wish lists from a distance. Some retailers require reservations ahead of time to cut back on wait times and allow staff to clean, The Charlotte Observer reported Thursday.
“We won’t let the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic stop Christmas for millions of families nationwide or stand in the way of their traditions,” said Matt Windt, chief marketing officer at Cherry Hill Programs, which provides Santa visits to malls across the country.
Coronavirus-related death reported at NC prison
A man died at a North Carolina prison on Tuesday after contracting the coronavirus.
The person was older than 80 and tested positive for COVID-19 last month, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. Officials didn’t identify the man but said he died at Central Prison in Raleigh.
During the pandemic, at least 32 coronavirus cases and three deaths have been linked to the facility. As of Tuesday, 13 of those cases were listed as “active,” data show.
Statewide, 21 coronavirus-related deaths have been reported at prisons.
More deaths tied to super-spreader event at NC church
An additional two people have died from complications of COVID-19 linked to an outbreak at United House of Prayer for All People in Charlotte, officials said Wednesday.
That brings the total death count to eight, including seven people from Mecklenburg County and one from Gaston County, the Charlotte Observer reported.
At least 187 confirmed coronavirus cases have been tied to the church’s convocation events in October. Six new cases have been reported since Friday.
The church’s events are responsible for Mecklenburg County’s “largest coronavirus outbreak to date,” according to the Observer.
Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris has said the scope of infections for attendees across the United States isn’t being tracked. But officials in California, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington, D.C., have been notified about it.
United House of Prayer for All People is set to reopen its flagship location on Thursday for in-person worship services after local health officials agreed to modify an abatement order that shut it down last week.
“The United House of Prayer has expressed its commitment to continued cooperation with Public Health to identify and implement safety measures to protect against the spread of COVID-19,” the modified order reads.
New cases reported at Wake schools
Two schools in Wake County reported new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.
Hilburn Academy and West Millbrook Middle School, both in Raleigh, told families that people linked to their schools were infected with the virus.
The new infections bring the total number of cases reported at Wake County Public Schools to 21. They are spread across 17 campuses.
The latest infections came after principals at six Raleigh-area schools on Monday told families “people associated with their schools had tested positive” for the virus, The News & Observer reported.
They did not say whether the cases were among students or workers. Some schools have reported multiple cases from people living together.
This story was originally published November 5, 2020 at 7:53 AM.
