How did July 4th affect coronavirus? Has North Carolina’s mask mandate helped? Here’s the data.
Data released Tuesday in Mecklenburg County gives early insights into the spread of coronavirus locally since the July 4th holiday and North Carolina’s mask mandate went into effect.
Over the past three weeks, the positivity rate of COVID-19 tests has leveled out near 11% but Mecklenburg’s percent-positive remains one of the highest in North Carolina. The number of people needing hospital-level care for COVID-19 has climbed.
And the increase in new cases this month, so far, is tracking closely with the increased number of tests administered, according to a Charlotte Observer analysis of testing and caseload data. That’s a marked change from last month when data showed the rise in local COVID-19 cases far outpaced added testing.
North Carolina’s governor implemented a mask mandate June 26, requiring face coverings in most public settings. Exceptions include children under the age of 11 and people who have certain medical conditions.
The mask requirement came one week before the Fourth of July weekend, a time that brought rising concerns over whether Americans would continue social distancing during a holiday traditionally marked by large gatherings and celebrations.
Tuesday’s release of county data, which is current through July 19, gives a glimpse into the possible effects of both events. Health officials often look at virus trends over a 14-day period, which takes into account the COVID-19 incubation period, as well as the time required to get a test, wait for results and have those new cases appear in countywide data.
The latest figures show more people than ever in Mecklenburg County have been hospitalized with COVID-19 — an average of 190 people during the week ending July 19. That’s up from 175 the week prior and 166 the week before that.
At the same time, the average percent of positive tests was 10.9% during the week ending July 19, slightly down from 11.4% the week prior. County health officials called the trend “stable.” These data only include tests conducted by Atrium Health, Novant Health and CVS Health but county officials have said those providers are performing the vast majority of tests locally.
Also Tuesday, officials reported 182 people with COVID-19 have died locally, which includes three new fatalities reported late Monday.
Over the past week, 14 people have died locally, including two more people under the age of 40 have died, health department demographic data show.
Mecklenburg has seen a total of 17,800 coronavirus cases, according to state health data. The number is cumulative since mid-March.
The county added 229 new cases on Tuesday, the state Department of Health and Human Services reported. Over the past week, the county has been adding an average of 303 cases every day.
Statewide, DHHS reported 1,815 new cases Tuesday, for a total of 102,861, and 26 more deaths, for a total of 1,668.
Mecklenburg COVID-19 update
As of July 19 — the last date demographic data was publicly available — county coronavirus data show:
▪ Most people — about 75% of more than 16,600 cases — were adults between the ages 20 to 59 years old. People older than 60 account for less than 12% of all cases reported but about 85% of all deaths.
▪ After symptoms of coronavirus subside, a person diagnosed may be “released” from isolation under CDC guidelines. In Mecklenburg, roughly 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.
▪ More than half of those people who have died from COVID-19 locally were connected to “active outbreaks” in long-term care facilities or nursing homes. Still, three of the 169 deaths recorded as of July 19 were among people who had no known underlying conditions. And 23 were between the ages of 40-59.
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 1:51 PM.