COVID-19 positivity rate in Charlotte area drops further, fewer people hospitalized
The Charlotte area’s coronavirus positivity rate again dropped slightly over the last 14 days and is now hovering even closer to the 5% benchmark state health officials partially rely on to guide reopening decisions.
The percentage of COVID-19 tests that return positive results fell to 6.4% in the past week, Mecklenburg County officials said Tuesday. That includes tests from Atrium Health and Novant Health, as well as drive-thru tests performed by CVS Health and Walgreens.
Those services are conducting nearly 3,400 local COVID-19 tests per day, on average. But health leaders continue to caution that many people may be asymptomatic — meaning they are at risk of unknowingly infecting others and are the most unlikely to be tested under current eligibility requirements.
Still, the latest local data show an improving trend.
In late July, as the county recovered from a surge in cases linked to increased reopening and less social distancing, Mecklenburg’s positivity rate was near 10%.
The percent of positive tests has been falling since then.
Public health officials and medical professionals fear upcoming Labor Day gatherings may cause the trend to reverse.
But for now, hospitalizations are also declining, with an average of 145 coronavirus patients needing treatment at the region’s acute care facilities over the past week, officials said. On Saturday, Mecklenburg recorded 133 hospitalizations — the lowest number since late June, according to the latest public health data.
The average increase of new cases has been decreasing over the last month amid stagnant testing volumes, according to a Charlotte Observer analysis of public health data. And roughly three-fourths of the people who tested positive since March have met the criteria to end isolation as symptoms subsided, according to local health officials.
Despite the improving metrics, local officials have urged residents to stay vigilant and follow health guidelines to slow the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing a face mask and practicing social distancing. Based on mobility data, social distancing has remained stable in recent weeks — though county residents still appear to be more active compared to levels from earlier this summer.
There have been 24,408 confirmed coronavirus cases in Mecklenburg since March, the state Department of Health and Human Services reported Tuesday afternoon. That’s a rate of 223 cases for every 10,000 residents.
On average, over the last 14 days, state data shows 139 new cases detected per day in the county. Tuesday’s daily increase — 148 — came in slightly above that average. Monday’s, with 131 new cases reported, was slightly below.
Young adults between the ages of 20 to 39 make up nearly 45% of all known infections. People ages 60 and older account for about 12% of all cases reported but about 85% of all deaths.
The death toll in Mecklenburg was 289 people as of Tuesday afternoon. A disproportionate number of fatalities — 75 so far — have been reported in August, compared to previous months. The rise COVID-19 deaths is considered a “lagging indicator” in the COVID-19 pandemic, trailing behind new lab-confirmed cases and deaths — and signaling the severity of illnesses in Charlotte from weeks ago.
The latest data released Tuesday shows there are active coronavirus outbreaks at 32 congregate living settings, such as nursing homes, in Mecklenburg — with some facilities experiencing a handful of cases, as others grapple with dozens of infections. Three childcare centers in the county have active coronavirus clusters, officials said.
This story was originally published August 25, 2020 at 2:46 PM.