COVID-19 hospitalizations in NC continue to mount; almost 5,000 new cases reported

North Carolina’s COVID-19 hospitalizations again increased by more than 100 people Wednesday, according to the North Carolina DHHS COVID-19 dashboard.

There are 2,304 people hospitalized in the state, the highest number recorded since Feb. 9. Hospitalizations have more than quadrupled since July 16 and more than doubled since July 27. The number of people hospitalized has increased every day since July 9.

Weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations among people ages 20-49 are at an all-time high, NCDHHS wrote in a Tuesday press release. From Aug. 3 to 9, there were 547 people in this age range hospitalized.

North Carolina reported the largest single day jump in hospital ICU admissions since the start of the pandemic on Tuesday — to 557 from 502 on Monday. That’s almost as many people in intensive care now as were hospitalized on July 16, when 571 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19.

The state reported 4,963 new cases on Wednesday. There were 6,892 new cases reported Sunday, the highest single day increase since Feb. 3 when 12,079 cases were reported. But while the number of new cases was down on Wednesday, the last time the state reported more than 4,900 new cases in a day, other than Sunday, was in January.

There were 22 additional deaths reported Wednesday; the state does not specify when those deaths occurred. Since the start of the pandemic, 13,790 people have died from COVID-19 in North Carolina.

The positive-test rate has been above 10% in the state since July 31. It was 12.8% on Monday, the most recent data available. The 13.9% positivity rate recorded Sunday was the highest recorded since Jan. 10. The state’s target is 5% or less, which officials say is the number needed to reduce the spread of the virus.

Fifty-five percent of North Carolinians 12 years and older are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and 60% have received at least one dose. These numbers are slightly lower than the nationwide average; 58.8% of Americans in this age group are fully vaccinated, and 68.9% have received at least one dose.

Over the last 14 days, Durham County has reported 308 cases per 100,000 people. Orange County has reported 240 and Wake County 492. In total, Durham has had 27,274 COVID-19 cases, Orange has had 9,117 and Wake 97,410.

In Durham County, 67% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated, in Orange it’s 86% and in Wake, 70%. Seventy-one percent of Durhamites in this age group have received at least one dose, Orange 89% and Wake 74%.

Experts say that the current COVID-19 surge in North Carolina is steeper than it was heading into the winter, primarily due to the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Durham County issued an indoor mask mandate that began Monday at 5 p.m. Orange County followed suit and will require everyone over the age of 2 to wear a mask inside public spaces starting 5 p.m. Wednesday.

This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 12:59 PM with the headline "COVID-19 hospitalizations in NC continue to mount; almost 5,000 new cases reported."