NC reports large increases in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths

North Carolina’s one-day new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths each saw big increases on Wednesday, according to the North Carolina DHHS COVID-19 dashboard.

The state reported 3,413 new cases Wednesday — an increase of well over 1,000 from the 2,188 it reported Tuesday and the highest the state has reported since Feb. 20. The state had reported less than 2,200 Monday and Tuesday, but was over 3,000 for three days before that.

North Carolina also saw over 100 new hospitalizations reported Wednesday, with 1,580 currently hospitalized due to COVID-19 compared to Tuesday’s 1,465. There are 388 adult COVID-19 patients in intensive care; 26% of COVID-19 hospitalized patients are in the ICU statewide.

In the first three days of August, 273 more hospitalizations have been reported in the state. Hospitalizations have increased every day since July 9, when 409 people were hospitalized.

There also were 21 new deaths reported Wednesday, a number North Carolina hasn’t reported since June 4. So far, 13,700 people have died from COVID-19 in the state. The seven-day average number of deaths is now 13, the highest since June 24. The state went over 13,000 deaths in late May.

The most recent positivity rate data available is from Monday, when it was 12.2%, up from 10.6% on Sunday. Monday’s positivity rate is the highest since Feb. 1, when 13.6% of tests were positive.

Health officials have said that the target rate is less than 5% — below that suggests that the spread of the virus is slowing. The last time North Carolina was under 5% was July 15.

The recent surge is due to the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, health officials say. This variant is more transmissible and possibly more deadly.

Most of the new cases and virtually all of the hospitalizations are people who have not been vaccinated.

NCDHHS recently told The News & Observer that more than 94% of cases and deaths reported since May 6 were in people who were not fully vaccinated. People who are vaccinated and contract COVID-19 typically avoid serious illness or hospitalization, the spokesperson said.

Additionally, during May and June, more than 99% of cases and more than 98% of hospitalizations and deaths were in people who were not fully vaccinated.

Durham County reported an average of 178 cases per 100,000 people over the last 14 days; Orange County reported 125 and Wake County 315. Durham has had 26,663 cases total, Orange 8,879 and Wake 94,145. The dashboard reports that Durham’s positivity rate was 4.4% on Monday, the last day available; Orange’s was 3.2% and Wake’s 6.7%.

Fifty-five percent of North Carolinians 12 years or older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and 59% of this age group has received at least one dose. These numbers are lower than the national averages; 58.2% of Americans 12 years or older are fully vaccinated, and 67.7% have received at least one dose.

Since July 5, the number of people being vaccinated each week has been increasing. During the week of July 26, the state vaccinated 106,497 people. The state has only administered 13,518 first doses and 5,256 second doses this week, but the NCDHHS website states that this data could be incomplete.