COVID cases, hospitalizations in NC continue rising into holiday season
North Carolina has reported over 22,000 new COVID-19 cases over the past week, the most since October when the state was coming down from the surge of the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus.
New cases have increased every week since Thanksgiving. Public health officials have long expected an uptick in cases as people gather for the holidays.
Officials are concerned about the highly mutated omicron variant, which was first reported in North Carolina on Friday, but the dominant strain of the virus remains delta as it makes up nearly all new cases in North Carolina, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Gov. Roy Cooper and members of the Coronavirus Task Force will give an update on COVID-19 in North Carolina at 3 p.m. Tuesday. To watch a live stream, go here: www.ncdps.gov/news-conference
Hospitalizations, ICU admissions up
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported Monday there are 1,550 people in North Carolina in the hospital due to COVID-19. That has increased from the 1,322 reported a week ago, and it’s the highest since mid-October.
Of the 1,550 hospitalized, 416, or about 27%, are in intensive care units, also the highest since October.
Among all the tests administered in the week prior to Saturday, the latest available data, an average of 7.8% each day have returned positive. That’s the highest average since early October.
State health officials have said they want that rate at 5% or lower, but it’s one of many indicators they use to gauge spread of COVID-19.
As of Monday, 19,010 people in North Carolina have died due to the virus since the pandemic began in March 2020.
Vaccination numbers
Public health officials continue to urge vaccination because it is the best way to prevent COVID-19.
Among all adults in North Carolina, 69% are full vaccinated. Among those eligible, ages 5 and up, 62% have received their shots.
Data reported by DHHS is preliminary and subject to change as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published December 13, 2021 at 6:01 PM.