NC reports fewer than 3,000 new COVID cases for first time in over a month
North Carolina reported 2,926 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the lowest daily increase and the first time it’s been under 3,000 since Dec. 27.
It’s also a decrease of 850 from Monday’s new case count, according to data from the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Over the last week, DHHS has reported an average of 5,258 new cases per day.
A week ago the average was 6,132, and on Jan. 12, it was 8,654, a pandemic high.
DHHS reported 2,741 statewide hospitalizations on Tuesday with 97% of hospitals reporting.
It’s the fourth straight day that hospitalizations have been under 3,000 and the eight straight day that hospitalizations have decreased overall.
Among the tests reported on Sunday, 10.2% returned positive, the first time in a week that the rate has been 10% or higher.
But it’s been a decrease overall over the last few weeks. The state reported a pandemic high of 17.1% on Jan. 4.
State health officials have said that they want the rate at 5% or lower. It was Sept. 24 when the state last met that mark.
DHHS reported 67 deaths on Tuesday.
January was the deadliest month of the pandemic as DHHS reported 2,587 deaths across the state, over 27% of all COVID-19 deaths in the pandemic.
As of Tuesday, 9,409 North Carolinians have died due to the virus.
The deaths reported each day do not necessarily occur on the date reported, but are typically reported within hours up to a few days, according to DHHS. Reported dates of death can change upon further investigation.
Case and hospitalization data reported by DHHS are preliminary and subject to change upon further investigation.
ICU and hospital capacity
DHHS reported 460 available intensive care unit beds on Tuesday, 64 fewer than Monday.
Prior to Tuesday, DHHS had reported an increase in available ICU beds for five straight days.
Of the 1,992 ICU beds in use, 645 are adult COVID-19 patients, an increase of nine from Monday’s total.
Overall, the number of adult ICU patients statewide has decreased steadily from the 880 reported on Jan. 16.
Available inpatient beds across the state are now at 5,642, down 293 from Monday, but it’s still higher than any daily total reported in January.
The inpatient beds in use are not all being used by COVID-19 patients, and the fluctuation in available beds does not indicate a surge in patients, according to DHHS.
As of Monday, 81% of ICU beds and 73% of inpatient beds are in use statewide.
Vaccinations
As of Monday, 818,252 first doses of the vaccine and 171,794 second doses have been administered in North Carolina.
The COVID-19 vaccine requires two doses, given weeks apart, in order to be effective.
All of the first doses that have arrived from the federal government in North Carolina have been administered. Overall, including second doses, 78% of doses have been administered.
Vaccines at long-term care facilities are administered by a partnership of the federal government, Walgreen’s and CVS. Through that partnership, another 106,950 doses have been administered in North Carolina, as of Monday.
Of all the doses that have arrived in North Carolina for long-term care facilities, 57% of first doses have been administered. When second doses are included, 32% have been administered.
Combining doses administered through the federal long-term facility program and through the state, 1,096,996 doses have been administered in North Carolina.
DHHS has created an online portal at findmygroup.nc.gov for people trying to find out what vaccination group they are in.
DHHS has also opened a vaccine help line at 888-675-4567 that will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The help line provides callers with general information about the COVID-19 vaccine including information on eligibility, clinical questions about the vaccine, and how to find vaccine locations.
People can also enter their address or ZIP code at myspot.nc.gov/map-view to find their nearest vaccine location.
General information on the vaccine, specifically as it relates to North Carolina, can be found at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines.
This week, the state began updating its vaccination numbers every weekday, according to DHHS.
This story was originally published February 2, 2021 at 12:04 PM.