COVID-19 hospitalizations and new cases ticking upward as vaccine eligibility expands
North Carolina reported over 1,900 new COVID-19 cases and 955 coronavirus-related hospitalizations statewide on Wednesday, marking a slight increase in metrics after numbers had been decreasing for weeks since January’s peak.
The 955 hospitalizations due to the virus are the highest reported in a week, according to data from the state Department of Health and Human Services.
Wednesday’s new case count brings the weekly average of new cases per day to 1,839, the fourth straight day that the average has been over 1,800.
Prior to Sunday, the average hadn’t been over 1,800 since March 8.
The metrics are still much lower than in January when hospitalizations due to COVID-19 peaked at 3,990 and when the seven-day average of new cases per day was over 8,600.
Over 12,000 North Carolinians have died due to the virus.
Among the tests reported on Monday, the latest day with available data, 6.5% returned positive, an increase from the 5.9% positive from Sunday.
It’s the first time since March 14 that the positive test rate has been 6% or more.
Over the last week of available data, DHHS has reported an average of 5.2% positive tests per day.
State health officials have said that the average needs to be 5% or lower to control the spread of the virus.
Vaccine eligibility expands
North Carolina expanded vaccine eligibility on Wednesday to the rest of group 4, which includes essential workers who were not included in group 3.
Essential workers in group 4 include retail workers and construction workers.
Anyone 16 and older in North Carolina will be eligible for the vaccine a week from Wednesday on April 7.
As of Wednesday, over 1.84 million people have been fully vaccinated in North Carolina.
That’s 17.6% of the whole population and 22.5% of the adult population.
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 Wednesday, with changes from the previous day:
- Total cases: 914,132 (+1,929)
- Deaths: 12,112 (+25)
- Tests: 11,336,690 (+26,848)
- People hospitalized: 955 (+31)
- COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 235 (no change)
- Available ICU beds: 567 (-29)
- Available inpatient beds: 5,299 (-334)
- Patients on ventilators: 870 (-2)
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 Wednesday:
- First doses arrived: 2,394,240
- First doses administered: 2,462,370 (103%)*
- Second doses arrived: 1,857,745
- Second doses administered: 1,541,978 (83%)
- Single-shot doses arrived: 106,700
- Single-shot doses administered: 99,713 (93%)
*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 administered: 472,871
- Second doses administered: 175,489
- Single-shot doses administered: 26,386
- Total doses arrived: 956,140
- Total doses administered: 674,746 (71%)
Overall vaccine statistics:
- Total doses administered: 4,778,807
- Number of people fully vaccinated: 1,843,566
- Percent of population who have received at least one dose: 28%
- Percent of population fully vaccinated: 17.6%
- Percent of population 18 or older who have received at least one dose: 35.9%
- Percent of population 18 or older fully vaccinated: 22.5%
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: 2.5% (3.5%)
- Black or African American: 15.4% (23.1%)
- White: 73% (71.7%)
By ethnicity:
- Hispanic: 3.1% (9.8%)
- Non-Hispanic: 89.9% (90.2%)