Statewide COVID-19 patients in ICUs drop below 800 for first time in over a month
North Carolina reported that 785 COVID-19 patients are in intensive care units statewide as of Friday, the first time since Aug. 21 that the number has fallen below 800.
ICU patients hit a pandemic peak of 955 during the surge of the delta variant, a mutation of the coronavirus that’s more than twice as contagious as the original strain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The latest CDC data show that more than 97% of sequenced virus in North Carolina is delta.
The total number of people hospitalized with COVID was 2,882 on Friday, a drop from the 3,802 reported by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services a month ago.
DHHS reported 4,963 new cases Friday, bringing the daily average over the last week to just under 4,500. A month ago that rate was over 6,900.
Though cases have started to decrease from the peak of the delta surge, deaths have spiked over the past two months due to the variant.
In the past two months, over 2,800 people have died due to the virus. In June and July combined, 381 died.
The vaccine is the best protection from severe COVID-19.
A DHHS study from late August found that those unvaccinated are more than four times as likely to contract COVID-19 and 15 times more likely to die due to the disease, The News & Observer reported.
As of Friday, 53% of all North Carolinians and 62% of those eligible, age 12 and up, are fully vaccinated. Nationally, those rates are 57% and 65% respectively.
Among the tests reported Wednesday, the latest available data, 7.9% returned positive. The daily average over the past week of available data is 8.5%.
State health officials want that at 5% or lower. It’s dropped from the over 12% reported a month ago.
As of Friday, 694,701 Americans, including 16,605 North Carolinians, have died due to COVID-19.
COVID-19 metrics reported by DHHS each day are preliminary and subject to change as more information becomes available.
Orange County vaccine rate drops after reporting change
Orange County’s vaccination rate dropped by 11% after DHHS petitioned the CDC to provide more accurate reporting for county-level vaccination.
One of the CDC’s vaccination reports was previously based on where the person received the vaccine as opposed to where they live.
This report has since been updated to reflect the county of residence for those vaccinated.
As a result, Orange County’s vaccination rate decreased. As of Friday, 69% of Orange County’s population is fully vaccinated.
Among those eligible for the shot, ages 12 and up, 78% are fully vaccinated.
Orange had the second largest decrease among North Carolina counties due to the reporting update.
Hoke County saw a vaccination rate decrease of 19%.
Swain County benefited the most, seeing a rate increase of 15%.