Reported NC coronavirus hospitalizations exceed 1,000 for the first time
North Carolina, for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, has more than 1,000 people in hospitals with COVID-19 issues, the state’s Department of Health and Human Services reported Thursday.
According to DHHS data, there were 1,034 hospitalizations on Thursday, an increase of 40 people from Wednesday’s report.
The number of positive confirmed cases of coronavirus had a spike to 2,039, the second-highest one-day total since the virus reached the state in early March. There were 2,099 new cases reported on July 3.
The death total now stands at 1,461, with an additional 20 deaths from the number released Wednesday by DHHS. Three of the deaths were in Wake County, DHHS reported.
The reported hospitalization total has risen for five consecutive days — from 949 on Sunday to Thursday’s 1,034. The state reported that 21% of inpatient hospital beds and 22% of the ICU beds were available.
There now have been 79,349 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the state from more than 1.12 million completed tests as state health officials seek to expand testing.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced in late June that he was extending Phase Two of the state’s coronavirus restrictions through July 17 while also requiring face coverings in public places in an attempt to slow the virus spread. The COVID-19 metrics being used by state health officials continue to be a concern, as it they have in several states in the Southeast.
“Our trends are not where we want them to be right now,” Cooper said in a Thursday press conference. “It’s good that we still have hospital and ICU bed capacity, but we’re watching closely and paying particular attention to hospitals in the Charlotte area.
“Just take a look at some states where an uptick in cases quickly caused hospitals to fill up. We do not want that to happen here.”
White House heath advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci, in a Wall Street Journal podcast on Wednesday, said some states might have to consider reinstating severe restrictions to slow the virus spread and prevent outbreaks.
“Any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down. It’s not for me to say because each state is different,” Fauci said in the podcast.
There were a reported 60,021 new COVID-19 cases in the country on Tuesday. That was a new national record for cases in a day since the pandemic began, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
This story was originally published July 9, 2020 at 12:26 PM.
