Social distancing down slightly, Meck says in report on new cases, fewer hospitalizations
Mecklenburg County has seen a total of 2,158 coronavirus cases, according to county health officials data Tuesday afternoon. The number is cumulative since mid-March.
Health officials say 63 people with COVID-19 have died locally. No new deaths have been announced in the last two days.
Earlier on Tuesday, state Department of Health and Human Services reported 14 new cases in Mecklenburg, for a total of 2,148.
Mecklenburg uses a different reporting window and, unlike the state, reports only cases among county residents.
About two-thirds of nearly 2,100 Mecklenburg County residents who had tested positive for the virus through May 10 have been released from isolation, county officials said in an update Tuesday.
The update also included an analysis by Mecklenburg County showing there’s been a decrease in social distancing, which is measured by a mix of mobility data from cars, phones and transit systems. County officials say social distancing “index” data show adherence to social distancing has decreased slightly in a 14-day period ending May 8, which was the data North Carolina relaxed some stay-at-home restrictions.
However, social distancing is still “significantly higher” than before the stay-at-home order came into effect in late March, officials said in the analysis.
Statewide, DHHS reported 301 new cases Tuesday, for a total of 15,346, and 27 more deaths, for a total of 577 in North Carolina.
Eligibility for coronavirus testing in the county is changing and the county is working on scaling up testing. So far about 3.2% of the county or 36,000 people have been tested, county Health Director Gibbie Harris said last week. The new plan would put the proportion of county residents tested at over 8%.
Mecklenburg COVID-19 update
As of May 10 — the last date demographic data was publicly available — county coronavirus data show:
▪ An average of about 54 people with lab-confirmed coronavirus infections were hospitalized at acute-care facilities in the past week. Those numbers reflect a decrease over the past two weeks, according to Mecklenburg health officials.
▪ An average of 7% of people who were tested were positive, showing a “slight” decrease over the last 14 days, health officials say. The figure includes only COVID-19 tests conducted by Atrium Health and Novant Health.
▪ About 3 in 4 people diagnosed with COVID-19 locally were adults ages 20 to 59 years old.
▪ About 1 in 6 people diagnosed were hospitalized due to their illness. People age 60 or older were more likely to need hospital care compared to younger people with coronavirus.
Health officials say the totals may only be a snapshot because many people with COVID-19 symptoms haven’t been tested.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy don't we know how many tests have been done in Mecklenburg County?
Mecklenburg County Health Department collects data from local hospitals on the number of tests administered. County officials have said they do not know how many tests have been done outside of hospitals.
Non-hospital test centers and private labs report the number of tests and outcomes directly to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. The state health department reports on its website a daily count of the number of tests performed across North Carolina. A county-by-county breakdown of the number of tests has not been provided publicly.
This story was originally published May 12, 2020 at 11:50 AM.
