NC reports one red county in statewide COVID-19 alert system
North Carolina reported one red county in its COVID-19 county alert system on Friday; two weeks ago there were none.
The color-coded alert system gauges coronavirus spread on the county level. The counties are classified, from most severe spread to least severe, as red, orange, yellow, light yellow or green.
The one red county is Edgecombe County.
There are 20 orange counties, 48 yellow and 30 light yellow.
Lenoir County, in eastern North Carolina, is the only green county.
In the Triangle, Wake, Durham, Orange and Johnston counties are yellow.
New cases continue to increase
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported nearly 2,500 new cases on Friday, the third straight day that DHHS has reported at least 2,300 new cases.
Over the last week, the state has reported over 2,000 cases per day. A week ago the average was under 1,600.
Among the tests reported Wednesday, the latest day with data available, 5.5% returned positive.
Over the last week of available data, DHHS has reported an average of 6.2% of tests coming back positive.
State health officials have said that rate needs to be 5% or lower to control the spread of the virus. It hasn’t been below 5% since March 18.
“We want to see our trends in new cases, hospitalizations and percent positive of tests decline again,” said DHHS secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said in a press release. “The best way we can do that is by having as many people get vaccinated as quickly as possible and keep wearing our masks when out in public.”
As of Friday, over 2.7 million North Carolinians are fully vaccinated, over 26% of the state’s 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 Friday with changes from the previous day:
- Total cases: 943,693 (+2,475)
- Deaths: 12,387 (+28)
- Tests: 11,874,945 (+44,209)
- People hospitalized due to the virus: 1,064 (+8)
- COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 263 (+4)
- Available ICU beds: 513 (no change)
- Available inpatient beds: 4,994 (+35)
- Patients on ventilators: 912 (no change)
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 127 people died. The state originally reported that 108 people had died on Jan. 15.
Vaccine doses administered through North Carolina health providers:
- First doses arrived: 3,102,650
- First doses administered: 2,868,108 (92%)
- Second doses arrived: 2,332,765
- Second doses administered: 2,119,050 (91%)
- Single-shot doses arrived: 333,000
- Single-shot doses administered: 199,615 (60%)
Vaccine doses administered in North Carolina through the federal, long-term care program:
- First doses administered: 666,232
- Second doses administered: 364,851
- Single-shot doses administered: 52,301
- Total doses arrived: 1,566,190
- Total doses administered: 1,083,384 (69%)
Overall vaccine statistics reported Friday:
- Total doses administered: 6,270,157
- Number of people fully vaccinated: 2,735,817
- Percent of population who have received at least one dose: 36.1%
- Percent of population fully vaccinated: 26.1%
- Percent of population 18 or older who have received at least one dose: 45.8%
- Percent of population 18 or older fully vaccinated: 33.3%
- Percent of population 65 or older who have received at least one dose: 76.3%
Percent of population 65 or older fully vaccinated: 69.9%
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: 3.3% (3.5%)
- Black or African American: 15.9% (23.1%)
- White: 71.6% (71.7%)
- Other: 5.4%
- Missing or undisclosed: 3.1%
By ethnicity:
- Hispanic: 4.6% (9.8%)
- Non-Hispanic: 87.8% (90.2%)
- Missing or undisclosed: 7.6%
This story was originally published April 16, 2021 at 1:07 PM.