NC COVID-19 deaths pass 9,000 as second case of new strain is detected in state
North Carolina reported 131 more COVID-19 deaths on Thursday, pushing the state’s death toll past 9,000 since the pandemic began in March.
As of Thursday, 9,046 North Carolinians have died since March when the first coronavirus case was reported in the state. In January alone, the state Department of Health and Human Services has reported 2,298 deaths — over a fourth of all statewide COVID-19 deaths.
Thursday is the sixth time in the past eight days and the 11th time this month that the state has reported over 100 deaths in its daily update.
Meanwhile, a second case of a new, more contagious variant of the coronavirus, first found in the United Kingdom, was reported in Guilford County on Thursday, according to the county health department.
The first case of the variant, known as B.1.1.7, was reported in Mecklenburg County on Saturday, The News & Observer reported.
DHHS reported 6,490 new cases on Thursday, an increase of 903 from Wednesday’s new case count.
Over the last week, DHHS has reported an average of 5,914 new cases per day, the first time since Dec. 26 that the average has dropped below 6,000.
It’s down from the pandemic high seven-day average of 8,654 reported on Jan. 12.
DHHS reported 3,238 hospitalizations on Thursday, January’s lowest daily total, with 97% of the state’s hospitals reporting.
The state reported a pandemic high of 3,990 on Jan. 14.
Among the tests reported on Tuesday, the latest day with data available, 7.9% returned positive.
It’s only the second day since Dec. 23 that the rate has been under 10%. DHHS reported a positive rate of 9.7% on Jan. 20.
State health officials have said that they want the percentage at 5% or lower, a standard that hasn’t been met since Sept. 24.
The rate has decreased gradually since Jan. 4 when DHHS reported a pandemic high of 17.1%.
In response to the pandemic, Gov. Roy Cooper extended restrictions meant to curb the spread of the virus.
He extended a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew until Feb. 28 and a statewide eviction moratorium until March 31.
Case and hospitalization data reported by DHHS are preliminary and subject to change upon further investigation.
ICU and hospital capacity
Available intensive care unit beds are at 428, the highest since Dec. 27.
DHHS reported 4,745 available inpatient beds on Thursday. That number has decreased steadily from the 5,353 available beds reported on Dec. 25.
Currently, 83% of ICU beds and 78% of inpatient beds are in use statewide.
DHHS updates vaccination numbers
The state updated the number of vaccine doses administered statewide on Thursday.
As of Wednesday, 699,885 first doses of the vaccine and 122,158 second doses have been administered in North Carolina.
The COVID-19 vaccine requires two doses, given weeks apart, in order to be effective.
Of all the first doses that have arrived from the federal government in North Carolina, 88% have been administered. Overall, including second doses, 70% of doses have been administered.
DHHS last updated its vaccine numbers on Monday, when 630,774 first doses and 97,375 second doses had been administered and the first dose usage rate was 95%.
From Monday to Wednesday, North Carolina received over 125,000 in additional doses from the federal government, according to DHHS.
Vaccines at long-term care facilities are administered in partnership among the federal government, Walgreen’s and CVS. Through that partnership, 297,300 vaccines have arrived in North Carolina, as of Wednesday. Of those, 53% of first doses have been administered. When second doses are included, 31% have been administered.
This story was originally published January 28, 2021 at 2:03 PM.