Coronavirus trend ‘stable,’ Meck officials say, despite large increase in cases over 24 hours
One more Mecklenburg County resident has died of a coronavirus-related illness, for a total of 58 deaths during the pandemic, according to the county health department.
The county gained 92 new positive test results for COVID-19, making 1,850 so far, the state Department of Health and Human Services reported Wednesday.
The 92 new cases is the biggest one-day increase in Mecklenburg since the first virus case was reported in the county on March 11, and large spikes have appeared since then. But an average of 40 new cases a day have been reported in the past seven days, matching the average of the previous seven days.
The 14-day trend for new cases remains stable, county officials said Wednesday. That trend is one of seven metrics that state officials are using in easing mobility restrictions that have closed many businesses.
About two out of three people who tested positive have been released from isolation, according to the most recently released county data.
An average of 65 infected people were hospitalized in the week that ended Sunday, Mecklenburg County, representing a decline over the past 14 days.
The average of 8% of those tested had positive results in the week that ended Sunday were part of a slight 14-day decrease, the county said.
Of the 52 deaths in the county reported through Sunday, more than half were linked to outbreaks at long-term care facilities. Whites accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total deaths, again reflecting the populations of the long-term care facilities, county officials said.
The county noted a slight drop in social distancing in the past two weeks but said it remained higher than when a local stay-at-home order took effect on March 26. Mecklenburg has since reverted to state restrictions, which will be eased slightly on Friday.
Statewide, DHHS on Wednesday reported 12,758 total cases of the coronavirus and 477 deaths.
This story was originally published May 6, 2020 at 12:04 PM.