For 3rd consecutive day, 400+ new COVID-19 cases in Meck. Hospitalizations hit new record.

For the third day in a row, state health officials reported 400 or more new coronavirus cases in Mecklenburg County. The total, since mid-March, now exceeds 15,000.

On Sunday, the state Department of Health and Human Services identified 417 new cases, bringing the total locally to 15,024.

That follows Friday’s report of 400 new cases and Saturday’s report of 450 new cases. The county had its highest daily increase in COVID-19 cases Saturday, surpassing the previous record of 430 on July 3, according to an Observer analysis of state data.

Health officials have said a higher number of cases is to be expected as access to testing increases. Mecklenburg’s coronavirus caseload, though, is outpacing the amount of increased testing locally, the Observer has previously reported. For example, health care providers tested 1.8 times more people in June than in May. The number of confirmed cases in that same time period increased by a factor of 2.7.

Hospitalizations are also increasing, an analysis of the most-recent county health data shows. A new record high for the number of people in Mecklenburg hospitalized with COVID-19 — 185 — was set July 8. For the week ending July 8, the average number of people hospitalized per day in the county was 175. In the two weeks prior, the average was 146 and 134, respectively.

A total of 164 people in Mecklenburg have died, according to the county health department.

The DHHS reported 1,908 new cases statewide Sunday, for a total of 85,701, and a total of 1,070 people are currently hospitalized. The state set new marks Saturday for COVID-19 hospitalizations and new cases, The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported.

Health officials said four more people have died related to the coronavirus in the state, bringing North Carolina’s total death count Sunday to 1,503.

Mecklenburg COVID-19 update

As of July 8 — the last date demographic data was publicly available — county coronavirus data show:

▪ During the past week, an average of 175 individuals with lab confirmed COVID-19 infections were hospitalized at acute care facilities in Mecklenburg County. This represents an increase over the last 14 days.

▪ An average of 11.4% of individuals who were tested were positive for COVID-19 during the past week. Mecklenburg County Public Health says this represents a “fairly stable trend” over the last 14 days. These data only include tests conducted by Atrium Health, Novant Health and CVS Health.

▪ Most those who tested positive — about three in four — were ages 20 to 59 years old.

▪ After symptoms of the novel coronavirus subside, a person who has been diagnosed with it may be “released” from isolation under CDC guidelines. In Mecklenburg, nearly half of the people who tested positive have met the criteria to end isolation, according to local health officials.

▪ About 1 in 20 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.

▪ The majority of people who have died from COVID-19 locally were connected to “active outbreaks” in long-term care facilities or nursing homes. Still, two of the 163 deaths recorded as of July 8 were among people who had no known underlying conditions. And 20 of the people who died were between the ages of 40 to 59.

Devna Bose

The Charlotte Observer

704-358-5429

Devna Bose is a reporter for the Charlotte Observer covering underrepresented communities, racism and social justice. In June 2020, Devna covered the George Floyd protests in Charlotte and the aftermath of a mass shooting on Beatties Ford Road. She previously covered education in Newark, New Jersey, where she wrote about the disparities in the state’s largest school district. Devna is a Mississippi native, a University of Mississippi graduate and a 2020-2021 Report for America corps member.