Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Jan. 6
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We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in North Carolina. Check back for updates.
Hospitalizations hit another record
At least 582,343 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 7,076 have died, according to state health officials.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday reported 6,952 new COVID-19 cases, up from 5,285 the day before.
Wednesday marked the first day coronavirus-related deaths in North Carolina exceeded 7,000.
A record 3,893 people in North Carolina were reported hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Wednesday, marking another all-time high.
As of Monday, the latest day for which data are available, a record 17.8% of COVID-19 tests were positive. That’s above health officials’ goal of 5% or lower.
Cooper extends curfew
Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday said he would extend a modified stay-at-home order in North Carolina.
Cooper’s extension continues a curfew that goes from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The new order is set to go through 5 p.m. Jan. 29, The News & Observer reported.
The announcement came as the secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services urged people to remain at home unless they were doing essential activities. Dr. Mandy Cohen said it will take time to get all residents vaccinated.
“It will take many months to vaccinate everyone who wants it,” Cohen said. “Until then, I don’t want to lose any more North Carolinians to this pandemic.”
Also on Wednesday, the state updated its COVID-19 alert map. In the latest version, 84 of 100 counties are at the most critical tier.
Meanwhile, 12 counties were in the orange zone, which means community spread there is “substantial.” The remaining four counties were marked in yellow, an indication of “significant” coronavirus spread, data show.
NC hospitals postponing non-emergency procedures
Medical centers in North Carolina are delaying some procedures as the coronavirus continues its spread.
While some facilities have put a pause on elective surgeries, others are weighing which procedures can be moved to free up hospital beds, The News & Observer reported Wednesday.
“We are really, really cautious about scheduling cases where people are going to need an inpatient stay,” said Dr. Chris DeRienzo, chief medical officer for WakeMed.
NC State women’s basketball postpones two games
The women’s basketball team at N.C. State University has postponed its next two games after a person in the program tested positive for COVID-19.
The team was scheduled to play Virginia Tech on Thursday and at Wake Forest on Sunday, The News & Observer reported.
N.C. State has not set new dates for the games.
Wake plans to bring students back for in-person learning
Wake County schools still plan to bring students back for in-person instruction on Jan. 20 as the number of coronavirus cases continues to spike in North Carolina.
The state’s largest school district was forced to suspend in-person instruction for two weeks after too many teachers were in quarantine because of potential COVID-19 exposures, The News & Observer reported. But administrators said Tuesday they’re hopeful certain measures — such as increasing pay for substitute teachers — will allow them to have enough staff when students come back.
Under the current plan, most schools will start in person on Jan. 20, while year-round schools will return Jan. 25.
Elementary students will return for daily in-person classes. Middle and high school students will have a mix of in-person and online classes.
Students enrolled in the Virtual Academy will not have in-person instruction.
The decision comes as nearby Chapel Hill-Carrboro schools postponed a return to classrooms due to a statewide post-Thanksgiving surge in coronavirus cases. The district expects to start offering in-person and remote learning options in March.
COVID-19 positivity rate spikes in Mecklenburg
The percentage of positive coronavirus tests in Mecklenburg County climbed to 15.6% in the week after Christmas, according to data released Tuesday.
The latest figure is more than double what it was in November, and triple since mid-October, The Charlotte Observer reported.
”COVID-19 is still very much in our community,” Dr. Meg Sullivan, the county’s medical director, said in a news conference Tuesday afternoon. “It’s really more important than ever that we adhere to all precautions, including limiting gatherings.”
The positivity rate measures the percentage of positive COVID-19 test results in a given area. During the first peak in cases in July, the average positivity rate in Mecklenburg County was 11%.
Dr. David Priest, an infectious disease expert for Novant, said the current caseload should start to decline again by the end of January as long as people follow safety measures.
Governor activates National Guard to help with vaccine roll-out
Gov. Roy Cooper activated the National Guard in North Carolina on Tuesday to help distribute the coronavirus vaccine.
“Ensuring COVID-19 vaccines are administered quickly is our top priority right now. We will use all resources and personnel needed,” Cooper wrote on Twitter.
The order comes as federal data show North Carolina lagging behind other states in distribution and administration. At least 109,799 people in the state have received the first dose of the vaccine as of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Problems with vaccine hotlines after clinics announced
Callers have flooded phone lines in the Charlotte area after vaccine clinics were announced.
Gaston and Mecklenburg counties reported delays because so many people are reaching out to hotlines, The Charlotte Observer reported Tuesday. Officials said they are working to solve the IT issues.
This week, Mecklenburg County announced its first public COVID-19 vaccination clinic would open on Wednesday at Bojangles Coliseum. The clinic requires an appointment, which can be made by calling 980-314-9400 or visiting mecknc.gov/COVID-19 or https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/83g1hcpv/.
Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio told county commissioners “extremely high call volume” means some people have had trouble using the phone line.
To the west, Gaston County is also running a hotline at 704-866-3170. Its vaccine clinic is scheduled to kick off Friday at the Gastonia Farmers Market.
“We are in receipt of many voicemails to the vaccine line,” the county’s website said. “If you have already left a voicemail, do not keep trying to call back — you will be contacted by one of our operators.”
As North Carolina moves into Phase 1b of distribution, the clinics will be open for people 75 or older to get a vaccine, the Observer reported. Groups 2 and 3 of Phase 1b will include health care and frontline workers over age 50 followed by health care and frontline workers of any age.
Second vaccine doses given in NC
Second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are being administered to people in North Carolina.
While North Carolina health care workers began receiving the vaccine on Dec. 14, officials have said a second dose should be given about three weeks later to have the maximum effect.
The news comes as a North Carolina area medical provider on Tuesday was starting to vaccinate its patients.
Novant Health said the vaccinations for people ages 75 or older would be part of a “test-run,” The Charlotte Observer reported.
Nikki Nissen, chief nursing officer, said Winston-Salem and the Charlotte suburb of Matthews would be the first places to participate.
NC Republicans hold gathering without masks
Republicans in North Carolina held another gathering without masks and other precautions as the coronavirus continued its spread.
The N.C. Federation of Young Republicans on Dec. 18 hosted a holiday party in the Moore County town of Carthage, photos show.
As with events the GOP held earlier in December, some attendees shook hands and weren’t wearing face coverings, The News & Observer reported Tuesday. North Carolina has a 10-person limit on indoor gatherings and a statewide mask mandate, with some exceptions.
Tim Wigginton, the state GOP spokesperson, didn’t respond to the N&O’s voicemail messages for comment.
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 7:03 AM with the headline "Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in North Carolina on Jan. 6."
