Positive COVID tests in NC rising after meeting state target for nearly 2 weeks
Positive COVID-19 tests in North Carolina exceeded the state’s target again, according to a Tuesday report, and marked the third straight day that the previous week’s positivity was higher than the state wants.
Among the test results reported Sunday, the latest day with available data, 6.3% came back positive.
It was the highest rate reported since the previous Sunday when DHHS reported a positive rate of 6.8%.
Over the past week of available data, an average of 5.1% of coronavirus tests came back positive per day.
Tuesday’s report marked the third day in a row that North Carolina failed to met its target of a weekly percent positive rate of 5% or lower. State health officials have said meeting this standard is necessary to control the spread of the virus.
Before Friday, the state had met this standard for nearly two consecutive weeks.
Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, said Tuesday that overall testing numbers are going in the right direction compared to early January at the pandemic’s peak.
The weekly percentage of positive tests per day peaked at 15.1% on Jan. 4.
Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday that the state would ease COVID-19 restrictions on Friday.
The state will increase allowed capacity for retail stores and restaurants, as well as raise limits on indoor and outdoor gatherings.
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 Tuesday, with changes from the previous day:
- Total cases: 899,164 (+1,062)
- Deaths: 11,854 (+18)
- Tests: 11,057,814 (+15,613)
- People hospitalized: 956 (+9)
- COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 240 (+1)
- Available ICU beds: 653 (-35)
- Available inpatient beds: 5,769 (-285)
- Patients on ventilators: 903 (+41)
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.
Vaccine statistics reported Tuesday:
- First doses arrived: 2,156,680
- First doses administered: 2,202,935 (102%)*
- Second doses arrived: 1,629,225
- Second doses administered: 1,290,460 (79%)
- Single shot doses arrived: 95,200
- Single shot doses administered: 82,859 (87%)
*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: 128,755 (88%)
- Second doses arrived: 145,900
- Second doses administered: 106,505 (73%)
Overall vaccine statistics:
- Total doses administered: 3,811,514
- Number of people fully vaccinated: 1,479,824
- Percent of population who have received at least one dose: 22.2%
- Percent of population fully vaccinated: 14.1%
- Percent of population 18 or older who have received at least one dose: 28.5%
- Percent of population 18 or older fully vaccinated: 18.1%
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: 15.2% (23.1%)
- White: 77.1% (71.7%)
By ethnicity:
- Hispanic: 2.9% (9.8%)
- Non-Hispanic: 95.9% (90.2%)
This story was originally published March 23, 2021 at 12:44 PM.