North Carolina adds 1,900-plus coronavirus cases as hospitalizations rise
North Carolina added another 1,926 cases to its running coronavirus total Wednesday as the pandemic’s grip on the state continued to send more patients to hospitals.
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 236,407 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up nearly 2,000 from Tuesday’s total.
DHHS has now reported daily case increases higher than 1,000 every day since Oct. 4, and frequently higher than 2,000.
The state’s seven-day average hit 1,920 Wednesday, DHHS reported, up from 1,889 in Tuesday’s report.
COVID-19’s death toll in North Carolina rose by 40 people Wednesday, reaching 3,856 statewide since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, hospital cases reached 1,152 statewide, 23 higher than on Tuesday. With 97% of hospitals reporting, DHHS showed 467 empty intensive-care beds, a one-day drop of 71 statewide.
Testing continued to ramp up across the state, reaching 3.45 million Wednesday. That total represents a 22,345 increase of tests on Tuesday.
The state’s COVID-19 dashboard showed positive test results at 6.6%, higher than the 5% goal set by state health officials but lower than recent October days, when it has surged as high as 7.9%.
Free COVID-19 testing
Here are free testing sites this week. If you are interested, contact the site before going to confirm testing criteria, including registration at tinyurl.com/y4axm76v
WAKE COUNTY
Radeas clinical laboratory, 907 Gateway Commons Circle, Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.
- Dorcas Ministries, 173 High House Road, Cary, Oct. 15, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- Advance Community Health, 1011 Rock Quarry Road, Raleigh, Oct. 15, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Apex Advanced Health Care, 212 S Salem St., Apex, Oct. 16, 1 - 5 p.m.
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 300 Jones St., Zebulon, Oct. 16, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
DURHAM COUNTY
- St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, 531 S Roxboro St., Durham, Oct. 17, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Kitt Creek Commons Shopping Center, 5129 NC-55 Suite 103, Durham, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Kitt Creek Commons Shopping Center, 5129 NC-55 Suite 103, Durham, Oct. 18, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
ORANGE COUNTY
Lattisville Grove Missionary Baptist Church, 1701 Jimmy Ed Road E, Hurdle Mills, Oct. 17, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
CHATHAM COUNTY
- Northwood High School, 310 Northwood High School Road, Pittsboro, 12:30-4:30 p.m.
This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 1:50 PM.