Progress against COVID-19 levels off
Apr. 16—The declines in COVID-19 numbers statewide have slowed, leaving the spread and impact of the virus at levels that remain too high, a new state report says.
The update of the COVID-19 County Alert System posted late Thursday shows some counties seeing slightly worse viral spread than two weeks ago and some slightly better, but overall numbers have barely changed, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said in a press release.
"North Carolina's key metrics show a leveling of COVID-19 trends after several weeks of decline," the release said. "Although levels are far below the post-holiday peak in January, most of the state continues to experience significant or substantial community spread with concerning increases in younger adult age groups."
Edgecombe County, northeast of Raleigh, moved into the tier of critical levels of COVID-19 spread — color-coded red on the report's map — because its rate of new cases over the previous 14 days was 390.5 per 100,000 people, one of the highest in the state, and the percentage of tests for the virus that were positive during that time was 11.2%, the highest in the state.
Two weeks ago, no counties in the County Alert System map were red, the only time since the state began issuing the reports late last year that none were red.
Other than that, the overall numbers changed little: This week there are 20 counties showing as orange, with substantial spread of the virus, down from 21 two weeks ago; 48 yellow with significant spread, up from 47; 30 light yellow with moderate spread, down from 31; and one green with light spread, the same number as two weeks ago, though this time it is Lenoir County in the eastern part of the state instead of Alleghany County in the northwest.
Locally, Caldwell County remained in the light yellow/moderate spread tier, and Alexander and Catawba counties remained the yellow/significant spread tier, but Burke worsened slightly, moving from light yellow to yellow.
North Carolina actually has seen an overall increase in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and the percentage of tests coming back positive in the first two weeks in April after weeks-long declines since late January.
Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen encouraged people to take steps that would get the numbers to drop again.
"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," she said.
