COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Dec. 8
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We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
43 new COVID-related deaths reported
At least 1,558,510 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and at least 18,923 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday, Dec. 8, reported 3,294 new COVID-19 cases, up from 2,104 on Tuesday.
Forty-three coronavirus-related deaths were added on Dec. 8. Health officials don’t specify the dates on which newly reported deaths occurred.
At least 1,371 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 on Dec. 8, including 350 adults being treated in intensive care units, health officials said.
On Dec. 6, the latest date with available information, 8% of coronavirus tests were reported positive. Health officials say 5% or lower is the target rate to slow the spread of the virus.
Roughly 73% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 69% have been fully vaccinated. Out of the state’s total population, about 58% are fully vaccinated and 62% have received at least one dose. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
Free at-home COVID tests available in Mecklenburg
Residents of Mecklenburg County can pick up free at-home COVID-19 test kits from new locations this week.
The program is in partnership with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library and designed to ease the burden on residents who might face barriers to testing, The Charlotte Observer reported.
The test kits will be available at certain pick-up locations with no ID, appointment or insurance required, county officials said.
A list of those locations can be found here.
Two Canes players out of COVID protocol
Two players for the Carolina Hurricanes are now out of the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol.
Tony DeAngelo and Brett Pesce, both defensemen, can now continue hockey-related activities, officials said Dec. 8.
On Nov. 29, the two players went into the protocol, which requires players to quarantine for 10 days if they receive positive test results. DeAngelo and Pesce won’t be in Canada for the Canes’ upcoming road games but could join the team when it plays the Minnesota Wild on Dec. 14, The News & Observer reported.
NC sees post-Thanksgiving spike in coronavirus trends
North Carolina reported more than 20,000 new COVID-19 cases over the past week, including over 3,000 new cases daily between Wednesday, Dec. 1, and Saturday, Dec. 4, state health department data shows.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services hadn’t reported more than 3,000 new cases in a day since mid-October amid a surge caused by the highly contagious delta variant, The News & Observer reported. The newest numbers come as North Carolina braces for another variant — omicron, about which much is unknown.
Hospitalizations have also climbed above 1,300, the highest they’ve been since late October, and the number of patients in the intensive care unit has continued to increase every day since Wednesday, Dec. 1.
Still, the metrics are lower than they were at the height of the delta surge, The N&O reported.
This story was originally published December 8, 2021 at 6:55 AM.
