Reported coronavirus hospitalizations soar to another new high as NC mulls next phase
North Carolina has reached another new daily high in the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, told state lawmakers Wednesday that the state has 849 people in the hospital due to the coronavirus. That’s an increase of 20 over Tuesday’s total, which was the previous single-day high.
The information came during Cohen’s appearance before the N.C. House Health committee meeting Wednesday morning.
The daily update from DHHS, released a few hours later, showed a slightly lower number of reported hospitalizations at 846.
That same DHHS report said the state had 1,002 new lab-confirmed cases since Tuesday, bringing the total to 46,855 since the pandemic reached North Carolina in early March.
On Monday, state officials announced 29,219 patients are presumed to be recovered from COVID-19. DHHS updates that total once per week.
State health officials also reported 1,168 deaths to the virus. That’s an increase of 14 over Tuesday’s total.
The daily number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients fluctuated between 400 and 550 between mid-April and mid-May. It surpassed 600 for the first time on Memorial Day and has now been more than 800 four times in the last seven days, elevating the seven-day average to 809.7.
Rising COVID-19 hospitalizations has attention of Cohen, Cooper
The rising number of hospitalizations has the attention of Cohen and Gov. Roy Cooper as they decide whether to continue to relax social restrictions. While she said the state is not at a crisis point, it is something that must be addressed to keep the state’s healthcare system from being overwhelmed.
“We have to do something to stem the growth rate,” Cohen said.
Wednesday’s DHHS update showed the hospital system has room for more patients as 79% of the state’s hospital beds and 77% of ICU beds are currently in use.
Though hospitals have enough capacity now, Cohen said “if we just react to hospitalizations, by the time we get close to maxing out hospitalizations, it could be too late.”
Cohen said it’s best to react two to three weeks before maxing out hospital capacity.
“That’s the hard part of figuring out these trends here,” Cohen said.
Cohen also said Medicaid expansion is of great importance right now, because hospitals will be seeing more uninsured patients.
“We know with more people out of work, this is incredibly challenging on our hospitals,” Cohen said.
Cooper said Monday he’s discussed the state’s rising numbers of coronavirus cases with Vice President Mike Pence. The state is pushing increased testing and tracing resources to nine counties — Alamance, Duplin, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Johnston, Lee, Mecklenburg and Wake — who are seeing the sharpest increases.
But that’s just the start, Cohen said Wednesday.
“I’m sure that we will be adding counties,” she said.
Wear a mask to help slow coronavirus spread
Cohen told lawmakers that, according to new coronavirus data collected over the last two weeks, wearing face coverings is a major way to slow the spread.
“These reduce the amount of respiratory droplets that leave you and go out into the world,” Cohen said. “If everyone wears it together and we are all doing it, we get extra protection. It’s not perfect. It doesn’t mean there’s no risk but it definitely reduces risk a lot.”
Cohen also encouraged lawmakers to “role model the kinds of behaviors that will keep this virus level low” by washing hands, wearing face coverings and social distancing.
She also provided information on environments where the virus thrives or dies.
“This is a space where we didn’t have much data that was COVID-specific and now we do,” Cohen said.
She said research shows the virus tends to live longer on cold surfaces, adding that could explain the outbreaks in meat processing facilities.
Conversely, Cohen said, outdoor surfaces that receive direct sunlight are safer because the virus doesn’t live as long in those settings.
State leaders will use this information, along with trends in the number of cases and hospitalizations, as they decide which activities to restrict and which to allow. Cooper is expected to make an announcement about the next reopening phase early next week. Phase Two runs through at least June 26. Cohen said they are mulling if it’s possible to be “more targeting with our easing of restrictions.”
“Outdoors in sunlight,” she said, “those are things that we can get back to doing.”
But lifestyle changes will remain important until a cure or treatment is found, she said.
“We have to learn to live with this virus,” Cohen said, “until we have a vaccine.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2020 at 10:43 AM.
