NC Gov. Cooper holds press conference to give COVID-19 update. Here’s how to watch.
Updated: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper gave an update Wednesday about who will receive COVID-19 vaccines when they become available. See story here.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will hold a press conference today to update the state’s progress in slowing the spread of the coronavirus, as the number of hospitalizations reach record highs across the state.
Cooper will appear with North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen.
North Carolina’s coronavirus-related metrics have remained high over the past two months, with the number of patients hospitalized with coronavirus reaching a record high on Tuesday for the third-straight day. DHHS reported 524,279 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 3,563 from Monday’s total for a positive test rate of 13.5%.
The updated North Carolina totals come as two Johnston County hospitals in Smithfield and Clayton reach or approach their capacity since the week after Thanksgiving — reflecting the post-holiday surge in COVID-19 cases.
“The number of COVID patients in hospitals across North Carolina have nearly doubled from a month ago,” Cooper tweeted Tuesday. “We must prevent our hospitals and staff from being overwhelmed. That means wearing a mask and following safety measures.”
North Carolina remains under a modified stay-at-home order that is set to expire Jan. 8. That includes a 10 p.m. curfew as well as a cutoff time of 9 p.m. for alcoholic beverages to be served on-site.
How to watch Gov. Cooper’s press conference
Today’s news briefing will start at 2 p.m.
The briefing can be streamed live at ncdps.gov/news-conference. It will be delivered in English, Spanish and American Sign Language.
Major affiliated television stations in markets across the state — such as ABC11, WRAL and CBS 17 in the Triangle — normally televise or stream the governor’s news briefings, as well. The governor’s office also shares the livestreams on his Twitter and Facebook accounts.
If you can’t watch or stream, you can listen live on WPTF radio, on 680 AM and 98.5 FM.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 11:00 AM.
