Coronavirus updates for May 11: Here’s what to know in North Carolina this week
We’re tracking information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back every Wednesday for updates.
More than 17,000 new COVID cases
At least 17,094 new coronavirus cases were reported in North Carolina last week, up from 12,951 the week before, according to preliminary data from state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services also reported 431 new weekly hospital patient admissions, an increase from 374 the week before, according to data through May 7, the most recent metrics available.
The figures were released Wednesday, May 11, the eighth week that health officials have adjusted information shared on their coronavirus dashboard and published weekly COVID-19 data. The data had been released almost every day.
Roughly 77% of adults in North Carolina have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, and about 72% are fully vaccinated. Of the state’s total population, about 62% are fully vaccinated and about 66% have received at least one dose. State officials round vaccination numbers to the nearest whole number.
More than 3.5 million ”additional/booster” doses have been administered in North Carolina as of May 11, the health department said. Health officials have urged those who are eligible to get boosted, as data shows it offers increased protection against the omicron coronavirus variant.
Across the state, virtually all new COVID-19 cases were attributed to the omicron variant and its related “lineages” in the two weeks leading up to April 30, the latest time period for which data is available.
NC in a surge as cases are undercounted, expert says
North Carolina has seen a slight uptick in coronavirus cases, but the real figures may not be as low as they seem.
During the pandemic, health officials have been dependent on people who may have been exposed to get tested, leading to a potential undercount in cases. But now as self-test kits become more available, the number of unreported cases has gone up, The News & Observer reported on May 10.
In North Carolina, data show there were about 2,800 cases in late March and more than 12,500 at the end of April.
“We are in a surge now,” said Dr. David Wohl of UNC Health. “Cases are dramatically increasing and over the last week we have seen hospitalizations and deaths start to climb.”
To help stay healthy, Wohl recommends several precautions, including wearing a face mask, getting at least one booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and testing before you gather in groups.
The recommendations come as Wake County commissioners on May 9 moved a meeting online after at least two people on the board contracted COVID-19, the N&O reported.
COVID case counts rise in Charlotte area
The Charlotte area is seeing a rise in coronavirus infections after case counts were stable for weeks, the latest data show.
The last week of April, there were 1,068 cases in Mecklenburg County. That’s up from the 288 seen in a seven-day period in March but down from the 23,573 high reported in January.
While an infectious disease expert told reporters Novant Health has seen a rise in cases, the increase in hospitalizations isn’t as substantial.
“Most Americans have some degree of immunity to COVID either through vaccination, having had COVID, or both,” Dr. David Priest said, according to The Charlotte Observer.
He said there could be more cases in the fall and winter, when respiratory viruses usually show increased spread.
“Whether that leads to increased hospitalizations and deaths really is going to depend on the variant,” Priest said in a May 10 report.
For those seeking COVID-19 treatment, the anti-viral pill Paxlovid is available in several Charlotte-area pharmacies.
State workers with boosters get extra vacation day
Some state workers will get an extra vacation day if they receive their COVID-19 vaccine booster doses.
The employees must work for agencies reporting to Gov. Roy Cooper and are required to show proof of a booster shot by Aug. 31, 2022, according to The News & Observer.
The change comes after Cooper on May 4 signed an executive order allowing eligible workers to have up to eight hours of additional paid time off.
“Staying up-to-date on shots and getting boosters will help keep our state employees and communities safe,” the governor said in a news release.
More than a dozen employers cited after COVID deaths
Several North Carolina workplaces received citations for coronavirus-related deaths, state labor officials said.
The 14 employers are accused of failing to report that their workers died within 8 hours of the losses.
Among those facing penalties is the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, which lost a school resource officer in March 2020. Sheriff Chris Watkins said he felt “deflated” after receiving a $4,000 fine.
Josh Dobson, commissioner of the N.C. Department of Labor, declined to comment, “citing an ongoing investigation,” The News & Observer reported on May 4.
