Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on May 21
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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 21,151 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus, and 745 have died as of Thursday afternoon, according to state and county health departments.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Thursday reported an additional 788 new cases, up from 422 reported the day before.
At least 578 North Carolinians were hospitalized with COVID-19 Thursday, up from 554 Wednesday.
The state had completed 290,645 tests as of Thursday.
MIS-C case reported
The first case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, in North Carolina was reported Thursday, the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services says.
Officials could not provide details about the case but said the child is home and doing well.
The syndrome is serious but rare, health officials say. However, more cases could be seen as more cases of COVID-19 are reported.
Most children and teenagers who contract coronavirus have mild symptoms, but MIS-C can affect bodily organs, including the heart, in children who are currently infected or who were recently infected, officials say.
The NCDHHS is monitoring the potential for more cases.
University schedules
Two Triangle-area colleges are starting their fall semesters early due to the coronavirus.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and N.C. State University are set to kick off the new school year on Aug. 10, The News & Observer reported Thursday. The universities expect to end classes before Thanksgiving.
Court deadlines extended
North Carolina has suspended jury trials until August, according to an order from the chief justice of the state’s Supreme Court.
Court deadlines now go until July, unless they had been given June extensions, Cheri Beasley said Thursday.
Last month, Beasley ordered in-person court matters to be postponed until June, The News & Observer reported.
To help stop the spread of the coronavirus, courts will have hand sanitizer and block off areas to stay in line with social distancing guidelines.
‘Modest’ Phase Two starts Friday
Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order Wednesday afternoon that moves North Carolina into a “modest” Phase Two of reopening at 5 p.m. Friday.
The stay-at-home order will be lifted, but fewer restrictions will be relaxed than originally planned.
Restaurants can offer dine-in services with capacity limits, and salons and other personal care businesses and swimming pools will be allowed to reopen with 50% capacity limits and other rules. Additionally, outdoor gatherings of no more than 25 people and indoor gatherings of no more than 10 people will be allowed.
But gyms, bars and nightclubs, indoor entertainment venues and playgrounds will remain closed.
Those who are at a higher risk of complications from the coronavirus are still encouraged to stay home, and everyone is encouraged to wear a face covering and practice social distancing in public.
The decision comes as North Carolina is meeting three out of four trend benchmarks. Hospitalizations have leveled and emergency room visits with coronavirus-like symptoms have decreased. The number of lab-confirmed cases has continued to increase, but health officials say it’s due to increased testing. The percentage of tests coming back positive has leveled.
North Carolina will stay in Phase Two for at least four to six weeks before moving into Phase Three, when more restrictions will be relaxed.
Outbreak at poultry plant
More than 550 workers at a Tyson Foods poultry plant in Wilkesboro have tested positive for the coronavirus, the company said Wednesday.
The 570 positive cases represent more than one-fourth of the plant’s workforce.
In a statement, Tyson said all 2,244 employees and contractors at the site have been tested.
The company briefly closed the plant earlier this month to clean and sanitize it, The News & Observer reported.
‘Hot spots’ identified
As North Carolina prepares to start Phase Two on Friday, a few North Carolina counties are seeing spikes in their case counts.
Over the last two weeks, cases have “risen sharply” in Duplin, Forsyth, Guilford and Wayne counties. Duplin has reported more than 300 new cases, Guilford has reported nearly 400, Forsyth more than 400 and Wayne close to 200 over the time period.
Some spikes have been driven by prison or meat-packing plant outbreaks in the counties.
This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 6:55 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on May 21."
