Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Dec. 31
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We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases surpass 539,000
At least 539,545 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 6,748 have died, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday reported 6,715 new COVID-19 cases, down from 8,551 reported the day before. The state health department said technical issues contributed to Wednesday’s higher case count and may have contributed to a lower total for Thursday.
Nineteen deaths were reported Thursday.
As of Tuesday, the latest day with available data, 13.3% of coronavirus tests in the state were positive. That’s above the 5% health officials say is ideal for slowing the spread of the virus.
The number of patients hospitalized with the coronavirus in North Carolina was 3,472 as of Wednesday, the highest single-day total since the start of the pandemic. The total surpassed Tuesday’s previous record patient count of 3,377.
Field hospital to open in NC
The humanitarian organization Samaritan’s Purse is opening a field hospital in Western North Carolina as hospitals in the region care for an influx of coronavirus patients.
The tent will house 30 beds that are used for people who have COVID-19 but don’t need ventilators, The News & Observer reported Thursday. It will be constructed at Caldwell UNC Health Care in Lenoir and will serve patients from that hospital and four other nearby medical centers.
“These five western NC hospitals are overwhelmed and at capacity as case numbers in the state continue to climb,” Alyssa Benson, a spokesperson for Samaritan’s Purse, wrote in an email. “They reached out to Samaritan’s Purse to request our assistance, and we are grateful to come alongside them to provide additional capacity and care.”
More NC parents could get COVID-19 relief checks
Parents who missed the deadline to apply for state funds to offset the costs of virtual learning may still be able to receive money.
Starting in October, $335 checks went to North Carolina parents who claimed a child on their 2019 taxes or filled out applications by early December. Some people missed the deadline, and the funding originally had to go back to the federal government by Dec. 30.
The allocations came from the federal CARES Act, a coronavirus relief package that Congress has now extended into 2021. State Sen. Brent Jackson said he plans to introduce legislation that would give parents more time to apply for the Extra Credit Grant.
“It’s only fair to give them the opportunity to apply for it,” the Republican from Sampson County said.
Eviction protection extended
Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday extended a statewide eviction moratorium for another month.
Families who tell their landlords they can’t pay rent due to the coronavirus pandemic are protected from eviction until Jan. 31. The previous order was scheduled to expire on Thursday, The News & Observer reported.
“Too many families are living on the edge, trying to do the right thing, but left with impossible choices,” Cooper said in a news release. “This order will help them stay in their homes which is essential to slowing the spread of the virus.”
In the Raleigh area, the House Wake! COVID-19 Eviction Prevention Program also received an extension through Jan. 31. The program covers rent owed to landlords.
State adjusts vaccine plan
Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday said he would change the state’s COVID-19 vaccination plan to give priority to older adults and some essential workers.
Under the revised plan, people ages 75 or older would move up to be the first in line during Phase 1B. Next would come essential workers older than 50 and then all essential employees and health care workers who have patient interactions, The News & Observer reported.
The adjustment comes after a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel called for “frontline essential workers” — including first responders, grocery store workers and teachers — to receive higher priority.
“Vaccines will be available to everyone, but currently supplies are limited and will continue to be limited for the next couple of months,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Atrium Health was criticized for scheduling vaccines for workers who didn’t have direct contact with COVID-19 patients, The Charlotte Observer reported.
“I can assure you that the only people who have received vaccines by Atrium Health were categorized by (Phase) 1a,” Dr. Scott Rissmiller, Atrium’s executive vice president and chief physician executive, said last week.
The state is currently under Phase 1A of vaccine distribution, which prioritizes health care employees who work with COVID-19 patients as well as residents and staff of long-term care centers.
More than 63,000 vaccinated in NC
At least 63,500 people in North Carolina have gotten a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, data show.
The Pfizer vaccine started to be administered in the state on Dec. 14, and the Moderna vaccine was rolled out a few days later. The two vaccines require people to get second doses after a few weeks.
North Carolina had received 323,125 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as of last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said more vaccines expected to arrive this week will make the total 461,925 doses, The News & Observer reported.
Prison with COVID outbreak loses 2 leaders
Two leaders of a North Carolina prison that had hundreds of coronavirus cases have died.
Tabor Correctional Institution has had the worst outbreak among all prisons in the state, with more than 670 positive tests among inmates and workers.
Julian Priest, an associate warden, died on Dec. 24 after contracting the coronavirus, The Charlotte Observer reported Wednesday. Brad Perritt, the prison’s warden, died on Dec. 15 from a cause that officials haven’t revealed.
Jamie Bullard, another associate warden, now takes charge of the prison.
The news comes as the state prison system has ramped up its cleaning efforts and provided personal protective equipment, according to spokesperson John Bull. Inmates also receive COVID-19 tests before and after they are transferred, he said.
But some have criticized the decision to move inmates during a pandemic.
“If the governor is encouraging individuals to stay in their homes, it seems we’d be rational enough to shut down the movements in our prison system,” said Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina.
Charlotte area surpasses 60,000 cases
The number of coronavirus cases in the Charlotte area has grown to more than 60,000.
Mecklenburg County is reporting about 600 new infections per day, up from 220 infections per day two months ago, data show. Health officials also have released updated ZIP code data showing where coronavirus patients live.
“The data — a dive into positive test results for every 100,000 people as of Dec. 27 — underscores the pandemic’s disproportionate impact on vulnerable populations, including among nursing home residents and Black and brown communities,” The Charlotte Observer reported on Wednesday.
As New Year’s Eve approaches, health officials say Mecklenburg County case counts could be higher due to people not showing coronavirus symptoms. Also, a surge in testing around the holiday season may lead to delayed reporting.
This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 9:08 AM.
