Positive rate of COVID-19 tests fails to meet NC’s 5% goal and continues to rise
COVID-19 tests in North Carolina are returning positive at a rate higher than state health officials have said is necessary to control the spread of the virus.
Over the last week of available data, the state Department of Health and Human Services has reported an average of 5.7% of tests as positive per day.
State health officials have said that a rate of 5% or lower is necessary to control the spread of the virus.
North Carolina hasn’t seen a weekly positive rate that low since March 18.
The 5.7% rate is the highest since late February.
But it’s decreased overall from the pandemic high of 15.1% from early January.
“Our progress in our trends has plateaued, and we still have work to do,” said Catie Armstrong, press assistant at DHHS, in an email to The N&O.
She said that North Carolina is continuing to see not only viral transmission of the coronavirus, but also more contagious variants of COVID-19.
But vaccinations will protect against these variants, Armstrong said.
“Getting as many people as possible vaccinated quickly will help turn the tide of this pandemic and also help stop the spread of COVID-19 variants,” Armstrong said.
As of Thursday, over 2.2 million North Carolinians — about 22% of the population — are fully vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
On Wednesday, anyone 16 and older in the state became eligible to receive the vaccine.
Over the last week, DHHS has reported an average of 1,534 new cases per day, a decrease from the over 1,800 reported a week ago.
Hospitalizations due to the virus decreased slightly on Thursday but still remain over 1,000 statewide.
“We’ve seen in the past how fragile progress can be,” Armstrong said. “We need to keep protecting each other.”
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 Thursday with changes since the previous day:
Total cases: 926,897 (+2,087)
Deaths: 12,224 (+12)
Tests: 11,598,519 (+40,256)
People hospitalized: 1,004 (-21)
COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 255 (+4)
Available ICU beds: 591 (+48)
Available inpatient beds: 5,288 (-154)
Patients on ventilators: 959 (-16)
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 Thursday:
First doses arrived: 2,870,450
First doses administered: 2,661,458 (93%)
Second doses arrived: 2,094,905
Second doses administered: 1,817,208 (87%)
Single-shot doses arrived: 315,300
Single-shot doses administered: 133,081 (42%)
Vaccine doses administered in North Carolina through the federal, long-term care program:
First doses administered: 595,149
Second doses administered: 275,860
Single-shot doses administered: 33,761
Total doses arrived: 1,214,640
Total doses administered: 904,770 (74%)
Overall vaccine statistics:
Total doses administered: 5,516,517
Number of people fully vaccinated: 2,259,910
Percent of population who have received at least one dose: 31.1%
Percent of population fully vaccinated: 21.5%
Percent of population 18 or older who have received at least one dose: 39.5%
Percent of population 18 or older fully vaccinated: 27.5%
Percent of population 65 or older who have received at least one dose: 73.4%
Percent of population 65 or older fully vaccinated: 66.6%
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: 2.9% (3.5%)
Black or African American: 15.6% (23.1%)
White: 72.5% (71.7%)
By ethnicity:
Hispanic: 3.7% (9.8%)
Non-Hispanic: 88.9% (90.2%)
