Positive COVID tests exceed NC’s target for first time in weeks
North Carolina failed to meet the state’s target for positive COVID-19 tests for the first time since March 5, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
For test results reported Friday and Saturday, the state’s most recent data, 5.7% and 5.8% came back positive respectively.
The seven-day positive-test averages, meanwhile, were 5.1% for the week ending Friday and 5.2% for the week ending Saturday.
Friday’s weekly percent positive rate was the first time since March 5 that the rate exceeded 5%. State health officials have said the number needs to be 5% or lower in order to control the spread of the virus.
DHHS reported 1,591 and 1,248 new cases on Sunday and Monday respectively.
Earlier in March, DHHS stopped updating COVID-19 metrics on Sunday. Metrics from Sundays are now reported the following day.
Over the last week, DHHS has reported an average of 1,698 cases per day.
That average has increased from the 1,616 reported a week ago, but has decreased over the last several weeks since the pandemic peak in mid-January.
Hospitalizations statewide increased slightly to 924 but have decreased overall from the over 1,300 reported at the beginning of March.
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 from Saturday*:
- Total cases: 898,102 (+2,839)
- Deaths: 11,836 (+16)
- Tests: 11,042,201 (+55,723)
- People hospitalized: 970 (-25)
- COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 234 (-17)
- Available ICU beds: 688 (+104)
- Available inpatient beds: 6,054 (+522)
- Patients on ventilators: 862 (-21)
Inpatient and ICU beds are not all used by COVID-19 patients, according to DHHS.
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 124 people died. The state originally reported that 108 people had died on Jan. 15.
*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.
Vaccine statistics reported Monday:
- First doses arrived: 2,156,680
- First doses administered: 2,167,524 (101%)**
- Second doses arrived: 1,413,895
- Second doses administered: 1,272,301 (90%)
- Single shot doses arrived: 95,200
- Single shot doses administered: 81,276 (85%)
**The doses administered can exceed doses arrived because hospitals and other health care providers have learned that they can get an extra dose from each vial of Pfizer and Moderna vaccine.
Vaccine doses administered in North Carolina through the federal, long-term care program:
- First doses arrived: 145,900
- First doses administered: 128,178 (88%)
- Second doses arrived: 145,900
- Second doses administered: 105,569 (72%)
Overall vaccine statistics:
- Total doses administered: 3,754,848
- Number of people fully vaccinated: 1,459,146
- Percent of population who have received at least one dose: 21.9%
- Percent of population fully vaccinated: 13.9%
- Percent of population 18 or older who have received at least one dose: 28%
- Percent of population 18 or older fully vaccinated: 17.8%
Breakdown of those fully vaccinated by race vs. percentage of total population:
- American Indian or Alaskan Native: 0.7% (1.7%)
- Asian or Pacific Islander: 2.6% (3.5%)
- Black or African-American: 15.1% (23.1%)
- White: 77.1% (71.7%)
By ethnicity:
- Hispanic: 2.9% (9.8%)
- Non-Hispanic: 95.9% (90.2%)