Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on May 9
We’re keeping track of the most up-to-date news about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Reported cases and deaths
At least 14,464 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Saturday morning, and 545 have died, according to state and county health departments.
On Saturday, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 492 new cases of the virus, up from 471 reported Friday.
Officials say 8% of the 178,613 COVID-19 tests administered in the state have been positive.
At least 515 North Carolinians were hospitalized with the virus on Friday, compared to 525 reported the day before. The rolling seven-day average of daily hospitalizations in the state was 509 as of Friday.
Busy day for reopened state parks
Twenty-eight of North Carolina’s state parks reopened Saturday for the first time in weeks, and some drew lines of people hoping to enjoy the cool, sunny day.
Several parks filled to their social-distancing capacity, The News & Observer reported.
Officials at South Mountains State Park in Burke County reportedly had to shut the gates. Raven Rock State Park, southeast of Raleigh, had 40 to 50 cars waiting in line to get in at one point, state officials said.
Saturday marked the first full day of Phase One of North Carolina’s reopening plan. Under the first phase, the statewide stay-at-home order is modified to allow more businesses to reopen and people to take some nonessential trips.
Shoppers rush to Charlotte malls
Some malls around the state reopened Saturday with new social distancing and public health rules in place for shoppers.
SouthPark mall in Charlotte had lines marking 6 feet of distance for people waiting to get in, The Observer reported. The mall had signs suggesting shoppers wear masks and wash their hands frequently.
About 40 of 140 stores in the mall were open Saturday, according to The Observer.
Nursing home deaths
More than half of the reported coronavirus-related deaths in North Carolina are from nursing homes, state officials said Saturday.
Nursing home deaths have climbed to 277 people, according to the state’s data.
Forty-two deaths have been reported in residential care facilities.
Children test positive
A 6-month-old baby and two other children tested positive for COVID-19 in Robeson County, health officials said Friday.
The county, which is south of Fayetteville and on the South Carolina border, has reported 354 total cases of the virus among people of all ages, The News & Observer reported.
Across North Carolina, patients ages 17 or younger make up 3% of all coronavirus cases.
This story was originally published May 9, 2020 at 7:33 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on May 9."
