NC’s weekly positive COVID test rate meets state’s target for the first time
Just under 1 in 20 COVID-19 tests came back positive each day for the last seven days with reportable data. It’s the first time the state has met its weekly positivity target since the state began tracking the statistic.
Among the test results reported on Friday and Saturday, the latest days with available data, 4.4% and 4.6% returned positive respectively, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Over the last week of available data, an average of 4.9% of tests per day have come back positive. State health officials want the rate at 5% or lower.
It’s the first time the weekly average has been below 5% since DHHS started tracking the percentage of positive tests April 25.
New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to drop
DHHS reported 2,730 cases over last two days Monday.
The state no longer updates COVID-19 metrics on Sunday, therefore totals reported on Mondays are over the last two days.
Over the last week, DHHS has reported an average of 1,819 new cases per day. Saturday marked the first time since Oct. 17 that the seven-day average was under 2,000.
Hospitalizations dropped to 1,126 on Monday, the fewest reported since Nov. 1.
COVID-19 data of the day
Case and hospitalization data reported by DHHS are preliminary and subject to change upon further investigation. Here are additional statistics reported Monday, with changes since Saturday*:
- Total cases: 874,906 (+2,730)
- Deaths: 11,535 (+33)**
- Tests: 10,562,491 (+67,729)
- People hospitalized: 1,126 (-53)
- COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 313 (+4)
- Available ICU beds: 666 (+79)
- Available inpatient beds: 6,313 (+643)
- Patients on ventilators: 903 (-34)
Inpatient and ICU beds are not all used by COVID-19 patients, according to DHHS.
*On March 6, DHHS began updating statewide COVID-19 metrics Monday through Saturday. Previously the state would update on Sunday as well. Therefore, totals reported on Monday are changes since the previous Saturday.
**Deaths do not all occur on the date they are reported. DHHS updates its numbers as information becomes available. For example, according to the latest DHHS data, the deadliest day of the pandemic was Jan. 15 when 123 people died. The number of deaths assigned to that date has increased by over 20 since the end of January.
Vaccine statistics reported Monday:
- First doses arrived: 1,695,700
- First doses administered: 1,647,892 (97%)
- Second doses arrived: 1,030,825
- Second doses administered: 982,164 (95%)
- Single shot doses arrived: 76,700
- Single shot doses administered: 3,289 (4%)
Vaccine doses administered in North Carolina through the federal, long-term care program:
- First doses arrived: 145,900
- First doses administered: 124,428 (85%)
- Second doses arrived: 145,900
- Second doses administered: 94,337 (65%)
Across the state, a total of 2,852,110 doses have been administered. As of Monday, 1,079,790 North Carolinians are fully vaccinated, having received second doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
This story was originally published March 8, 2021 at 1:43 PM.