NC sets new records for COVID deaths and hospitalized patients
For the third-straight day Wednesday, North Carolina reached a new high for patients hospitalized with COVID-19, further stressing the state’s medical workers.
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 451,874 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 5,273 from Tuesday’s total.
Another 98 people have been reported dead of the virus since Tuesday — also a state single-day record.
DHHS also reported 2,811 patients are now recuperating from the virus in hospitals statewide, up 76 from Tuesday.
A week ago Wednesday, that total stood at 2,440 patients, meaning the pandemic has filled nearly 400 more North Carolina hospital beds since then.
State health officials have warned that medical space could soon dwindle if coronavirus cases continue to spike at this rate. DHHS reported 390 empty intensive-care beds Wednesday, down 40 from Tuesday.
Last week, federal data showed some of the state’s biggest cities, Charlotte and Raleigh included, at more than 80% capacity.
Other research has estimated the state’s hospitals could reach capacity in five weeks.
Free COVID testing events
Meanwhile, DHHS will offer more than 300 free COVID-19 testing events over the next two weeks, many in a new partnership with retail stores.
Stores in Buncombe, Durham, Harnett, Iredell, Lee, Mecklenburg and Wake counties are offering testing Dec. 18-20 and Dec. 26-27 in the parking lots of some Agri Supply, Carlie C’s IGA, Home Depot, Piggly Wiggly and Wegman’s stores.
“We want North Carolinians to do everything possible to protect their loved ones and keep themselves and our community safe,” Mack McLamb, president of Carlie C’s, said in a news release Wednesday. “We’re committed to working with NCDHHS to ensure that anyone who needs a COVID test can get one.
For a list of test times and locations, see the No-Cost Community Testing Events page on the DHHS website.
DHHS reported Wednesday the state has conducted more than 6.1 million COVID-19 tests since the pandemic began in March.
The daily figure from DHHS on the rate of positive test results stood at 12.5% Wednesday, as high as it has been during the pandemic. In late April, it reached 13%, but DHHS had not yet begun reporting its figures rounded to the tenth.
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 12:29 PM.