Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on June 16
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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.
Cases top 45,000
At least 45,906 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 1,169 have died, according to state and county health departments.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported an additional 751 cases of the virus Tuesday, down from 983 reported Monday.
Health officials on Tuesday reported completing 12,942 new tests for the virus, for a total of 651,421. About 9% have come back positive.
“The percent positive rate cannot be calculated by simply dividing the number of cases by the number of completed tests, mainly due to the timing of when tests are administered and when and how test results are submitted to the state from labs,” The News & Observer reported.
Hospitalizations reach new high
At least 829 coronavirus patients were in North Carolina hospitals on Tuesday, the highest-ever one-day total reported in the state.
Tuesday’s total is up from the 797 hospitalizations reported the day before, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
“With 85 percent of the state’s hospitals reporting, DHHS said 26% of the state’s hospital beds and 26% of the ICU beds were available,” The News & Observer reported Tuesday.
Tuesday’s count broke the previous record of 823 hospitalizations, which was set on Saturday.
Raleigh mask requirement
The Raleigh City Council voted Tuesday to give the mayor authority to issue a face mask requirement.
The rule will only apply to Raleigh, not all of Wake County. The county’s other mayors don’t agree on requiring masks, The News & Observer reports. There is no timeline for when the rule will go in effect.
Masks are already required in Durham and Orange counties. Those not wearing masks in these counties won’t be arrested or cited. Raleigh will follow suit and enforce the rule through education.
Gov. Roy Cooper said during a Monday news conference that he is considering if the state should mandate the use of face coverings.
Outbreaks at care facilities
Coronavirus outbreaks were reported at two more residential care facilities in Charlotte on Tuesday.
The outbreaks at Starnes Group Home and Brookdale Charlotte East bring the total number of active outbreaks at congregate living facilities in Mecklenburg County to 21.
Statewide, there are 60 outbreaks at residential care facilities. There have been more than 1,100 cases reported at these facilities and 98 deaths, per the N.C. DHHS.
The new outbreaks come as Mecklenburg County on Tuesday reported an additional 147 coronavirus cases for a total of 7,468.
Governor talks about increasing testing
Gov. Roy Cooper said during a news conference Monday that he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence about North Carolina’s need for more testing as coronavirus cases climb.
The governor said he discussed with Pence increasing testing, especially in counties with the highest growth in cases — Alamance, Duplin, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Johnston, Lee, Mecklenburg and Wake. He also said the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is “pushing assistance” to those counties and other local health departments.
Announcement next week on easing more restrictions?
Cooper said Monday he will announce next week if the state can continue loosening restrictions.
Coronavirus cases have been climbing in North Carolina since mid-May, coinciding with the state beginning to reopen and increased crowds gathering at protests, racetracks and other events or places, which Cooper said has caused concern for health officials.
“We believe we can get a handle on this,” he said during a news conference. “Let’s pull together so we can continue to move forward in easing restrictions.”
Meat-packing plant outbreaks
Coronavirus cases and infection rates have increased more in areas of North Carolina with major outbreaks at meat and poultry-packing plants, a News & Observer analysis of ZIP code data shows.
In 13 ZIP codes near plants with outbreaks, cases increased by an average of nearly 600% between May 1 and June 11. The ZIP codes are in Burke, Chatham, Duplin, Lee, Robeson, Wayne and Wilkes counties. The number of cases statewide rose 262% during the same time frame.
While cases in ZIP codes in urban areas have also risen, they’re much more densely populated while areas with processing plants are mostly more rural. The number of infections per 10,000 residents in those rural areas is higher than in Durham, Mecklenburg and Wake counties, all of which have bigger populations and more overall cases.
More than 2,000 plant workers in North Carolina have tested positive for COVID-19, and the N.C. DHHS is aware of the outbreaks but won’t name all affected plants and how many cases they have, citing a lack of authority in the industry.
North Carolina is among the top producers of chicken and hogs, and all plants in the state continue to operate. Some have closed temporarily for cleaning following outbreaks.
Most businesses don’t have to report outbreaks
Most businesses in North Carolina are not required to report COVID-19 outbreaks.
Only congregate living facilities, day care centers and schools are required to report outbreaks of the virus, The News & Observer reported.
Other businesses are encouraged to report outbreaks to local health officials but are not required to do so, Dr. Many Cohen, secretary of the state health department, said during a press conference Monday.
“We work very closely with our local health departments to try to understand how the virus is spreading across our state,” she said. “We’ve talked many times of how we track those outbreaks. ... But those outbreaks are not consistently reported.”
More inmates die
Two more inmates at a federal prison in North Carolina died over the weekend after contracting COVID-19.
The two were at the Federal Correctional Complex at Butner’s low-security prison, where a total of 11 inmates and one staff member have died from the coronavirus. The prison has the largest outbreak of the virus in the federal prison system.
Throughout the Butner complex, there were 657 active cases of the virus on Monday.
The two men, 85-year-old John Marrone and 61-year-old Mark E. Hebert, had underlying health conditions, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
A federal judge last week rejected a proposal from a group of inmates that the prison complex immediately release inmates vulnerable to COVID-19 and set up additional safety measures for others.
This story was originally published June 16, 2020 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on June 16."
