NC sets hospitalization high for 3rd straight day, as positive COVID-19 tests surge
COVID-19 tests taken Saturday came back positive at the highest single-day rate since mid-July, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported Monday.
Of Saturday’s tests, 9.5% have come back positive so far. That pulled the rolling, seven-day positivity rate average up from 7.4% to 7.8%.
State officials have consistently said they want to see the positive test rate around 5%.
Hospitalizations hit a new record Monday, with DHHS reporting 1,966 patients with the virus statewide. That data was based on reporting from 96% of hospitals statewide.
Hospitalizations had already set new highs on Saturday and Sunday.
North Carolina’s hospitals also reported 457 adult intensive care unit patients with COVID-19. On Oct. 31, there were 335 COVID-19 ICU patients. A month before that, there were 297.
DHHS reported 2,734 new COVID-19 cases Monday, the 22nd-highest daily case total since the state reported its first cases in March. The rolling seven-day new cases average is now 3,617.
The state also reported 21 COVID-19 deaths on Monday, bringing the number of North Carolina residents who have died from the coronavirus to 5,261.
Tests down, but percentage positive up since holiday
There was a surge of testing before Thanksgiving as public health officials urged those who insisted on celebrating with friends and family to seek out a test beforehand.
The number of tests taken has fallen off since Thanksgiving, and the percentage coming back positive has started to rise.
Over the four days before Thanksgiving, DHHS reported an average of 51,235 tests. On the four days since Thanksgiving, DHHS has reported an average 41,547 tests.
Results from the four days before Thanksgiving averaged 7.2% positive, while the two post-Thanksgiving days for which results are available have been 8.8 and 9.5%.
This story was originally published November 30, 2020 at 12:44 PM.