NC reports lowest daily COVID case increase this month
North Carolina reported 4,633 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, the lowest daily increase of January.
Over the last week, the state Department of Health and Human Services has reported an average of 6,261 new cases per day. That’s down from the pandemic’s seven-day-average high of 8,654 new cases reported on Jan. 12.
A month ago, the average was under 6,000.
DHHS reported 3,287 hospitalizations on Monday due to the coronavirus across the state. It’s the first time since Dec. 28 that hospitalizations have been under 3,300.
On Jan. 14, DHHS reported the highest hospitalization count of the pandemic at 3,990.
Among the tests reported on Saturday, the latest day with data available, 10.2% of tests returned positive. The rate has decreased steadily since DHHS reported a pandemic high of 17.1% on Jan. 4.
But it’s more than double the 5% or lower that state health officials want.
DHHS reported 25 more deaths due to the virus on Monday. In the four previous days, the state reported a death count of 100 or more each day.
Over the last week, the state has reported an average of 87 deaths per day.
In January, DHHS has reported 1,900 deaths related to COVID.
Nearly 22% of COVID deaths in North Carolina have been reported this month.
Case and hospitalization data reported by DHHS is preliminary and subject to change upon further investigation.
ICU and hospital capacity
After to dropping as low as 328 this month, the available number of intensive care unit beds in North Carolina increased to 425, DHHS reported Monday. That was one above the number available at the turn of the new year.
Available inpatient hospital beds increased to 5,353. Availability was at its lowest on Jan. 8 with 4,238.
The percentage of ICU and inpatient beds in use statewide are 83% and 75% respectively.
NC hospitals cancel vaccine appointments
Hospitals and health departments are canceling scheduled vaccinations this week after getting fewer or no vaccine doses from the state.
Instead, most the state’s doses are going to mass vaccination events.
In the Triangle, these events will be organized by Duke Health in Durham County and UNC Health in Orange County. In Wake County, they will be organized by UNC Rex Healthcare, Duke Raleigh Hospital and WakeMed, according to a news release from DHHS earlier this month.
An event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway over the weekend was expected to administer 16,000 shots. This upcoming weekend, 20,000 to 30,000 people could be vaccinated at Bank of America Stadium, The Charlotte Observer previously reported.
Orange County reported that this is the third week in a row it has not received any additional first doses of the vaccine, according to a press release from the county.
“Until the vaccine supply is significantly increased it will be weeks or perhaps months until we can complete vaccinations for Phases One and Two,” county health director Quintana Stewart said in the news release.
“We understand this must be frustrating for our community members to hear and we want let you know that we share in your frustration.”
The county said second doses for those in Orange County who have already received their first shot will not be delayed. The county health department will contact people for their second dose by phone or email, according to the press release.
“We know this is causing pain among providers who did an incredible job working to vaccinate residents quickly,” said DHHS communications director Chris Mackey over the weekend.
“As long as we are getting such a small amount of vaccine as a state, there are going to be challenges and shortages as we try to ensure equitable access to vaccine, while getting shots into arms quickly,” Mackey said.
As of Friday, 625,000 North Carolinians have received either one or both doses of the vaccine, according to a press release from Gov. Roy Cooper’s office.
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 12:46 PM.