New COVID-19 cases dip Sunday, but 7-day average stays above 2,000
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 1,807 new confirmed COVID-19 cases Sunday, bringing the state’s total to 260,099 since the pandemic began.
There were also 13 COVID-19-related deaths confirmed Sunday, bringing the number of deaths related to the disease in North Carolina to 4,157 people.
COVID-19 cases have spiked across North Carolina over the past week, with the state several times hitting new highs on the number of confirmed daily cases, including Saturday’s 2,716 new cases. The seven-day average of new cases has remained above 2,000 for the past eight days, with Sunday’s at 2,010.
The percentage of COVID-19 tests that are coming back positive is also on the rise. In mid-to-late September, the seven-day average dipped to around 5%. The World Health Organization has previously recommended that positivity rates come back at or below the 5% threshold for two weeks before governments consider reopening.
Since reaching 5% on Sept. 25, North Carolina’s seven-day rate of positive tests has steadily risen, reaching 6.7% on Friday, the last day for which data is available.
There were 1,148 people hospitalized for COVID-19 in the state Saturday among the 94% of hospitals reporting.
The rise in cases comes as officials move forward with some plans to return to something resembling pre-pandemic life while pausing others.
For instance, some Wake County students will return to the classroom Monday, with schools reopening for PreK-3 students and those enrolled in regional special education programs. Students will wear masks and have daily temperature checks.
But Gov. Roy Cooper this week extended North Carolina’s Phase 3 until Nov. 13. That means face coverings are required in public when distancing is not possible; restaurants and gyms may remain open with capacity limits; and indoor seating at bars remains closed. Most mass gatherings remain limited to 50 people outside and 25 people inside, with larger entertainment and conference venues allowed to operate at 30% capacity.
State officials sent a letter to 36 counties this week asking them to consider enacting “imminent hazard abatement orders” that would temporarily shut down businesses where COVID-19 is spreading or adopt an ordinance that includes civil penalties such as fines for violations. DHHS officials said local leaders are able to create rules that have less severe penalties than state-level emergency powers, which require criminal citations.
Counties receiving letters included the state’s three most-populous: Wake, Mecklenburg and Guilford. They also included places identified as a county of concern by the White House Task Force where cases had risen by more than 300 over the last two weeks, as well as those where the rate of cases is higher than 50 per 10,000 people.
This story was originally published October 25, 2020 at 12:00 PM with the headline "New COVID-19 cases dip Sunday, but 7-day average stays above 2,000."