North Carolina COVID-19 hospitalizations highest in weeks

Ben Sessoms
·4 min read

North Carolina reported 1,170 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 Tuesday, the highest daily reported total since March 6.

Since the beginning of April, the number has increased by nearly 200, according to coronavirus reports from the state Department of Health and Human Services.

COVID-19 metrics across the board — new cases, hospitalizations and percentage of tests that are positive — are ticking back up after decreasing for weeks.

Metrics peaked in January due to a post-holiday surge.

DHHS reported 1,200 new cases, but the daily average over the last week is 2,020.

Two weeks ago the average was about 1,600.

Among the tests reported Sunday, the latest available data, 7.4% returned positive.

Over the last week of available data, DHHS has reported an average of 6.3% positive per day.

State health officials have said that the goal is to have the rate at 5% or lower. The last time it was below 5% was March 18.

State epidemiologist Dr. Zack Moore said in an interview with The News & Observer that the positive rate is just one metric the state looks at among many to gauge COVID-19 spread in the state.

“That’s one metric, and we use it in combination with the other metrics that we track to understand what’s going on,” Moore said. “We have to look at the rate of reported cases, and the amount of testing that’s being done, and the percent positivity, and look at those in combination, to really get a clearer sense of the spread of virus.”

He said recent increases though are still concerning, even though numbers are still much lower than January.

“We still are seeing some concerning signs here in North Carolina,” Moore said. “Recognizing that we’ve seen bigger surges elsewhere in the country, it’s just a reminder of the importance of getting vaccinated and of continuing to practice those prevention measures that we’ve been emphasizing.”

Dr. Erica M. Pettigrew, a physician at UNC and the medical director at the Orange County Health Department, told The N&O earlier this week that low testing may be the cause of the high percentages of positive tests. She said this also could be making new case numbers artificially low.

“That worries me that we may not be testing enough,” she said.

On Monday, the state reported the results of 10,379 tests. That’s the lowest number since June 2020. In January, the state was completing more than 50,000 tests a day.

If someone has symptoms of COVID-19, they should still get tested even if they’re fully vaccinated, according to state heath officials.

If someone isn’t vaccinated, they should get tested if they have symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus.

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 Tuesday with changes from the day before:

  • Total cases: 950,566 (+1,200)

  • Deaths: 12,437 (+19)

  • Tests: 11,983,297 (+15,213)

  • People hospitalized due to the virus: 1,170 (+46)

  • COVID-19 adult ICU patients: 286 (+20)

  • Available ICU beds: 568 (-21)

  • Available inpatient beds: 5,319 (-488)

  • Patients on ventilators: 895 (-9)

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: 2,941,217 (95%)

  • Second doses arrived: 2,600,745

  • Second doses administered: 2,235,950 (86%)

  • Single-shot doses arrived: 333,000

  • Single-shot doses administered: 200,521 (60%)

Vaccine doses administered in North Carolina through the federal, long-term care program:

  • First doses administered: 686,492

  • Second doses administered: 400,732

  • Single-shot doses administered: 52,308

  • Total doses arrived: 1,718,720

  • Total doses administered: 1,139,532 (66%)

Overall vaccine statistics reported Tuesday:

  • Total doses administered: 6,517,220

  • Number of people fully vaccinated: 2,889,511

  • Percent of population who have received at least one dose: 37%

  • Percent of population fully vaccinated: 27.6%

  • Percent of population 18 or older who have received at least one dose: 46.9%

  • Percent of population 18 or older fully vaccinated: 35.1%

  • Percent of population 65 or older who have received at least one dose: 76.7%

  • Percent of population 65 or older fully vaccinated: 70.7%

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: 3.4% (3.5%)

  • Black or African American: 15.9% (23.1%)

  • White: 71.3% (71.7%)

  • Other: 5.5%

  • Missing or undisclosed: 3.1%

By ethnicity:

  • Hispanic: 4.9% (9.8%)

  • Non-Hispanic: 87.5% (90.2%)

  • Missing or undisclosed: 7.6%