Charlotte ZIP code with worst COVID case rate reaches 6-month high. Here’s the map.
For the first time in more than six months, Mecklenburg County health officials are reporting a ZIP code where the case rate translates to around 1% of residents recently testing positive for COVID-19. The new data shows a higher concentration of infections than has been seen in recent months, and every other ZIP code in the county has a lower case rate.
The county’s highest concentration of COVID cases is in Cherry and Elizabeth, in ZIP code 28204, according to the latest public health data released. It’s the second consecutive week 28204 has had the highest case rate in the county, based on coronavirus testing results from the last 14 days.
Case rates by ZIP code take into account population and show how many active COVID cases have been reported per 100,000 people. In 28204 ZIP code, publicly-available data show 1 in 100 residents have tested positive in the last two weeks.
On average, Mecklenburg is logging 547 new coronavirus cases daily, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. That compares to 126 cases at this point one month ago — and 37 cases at this point two months ago.
According to health officials, the drastic increase in case rates is due to the highly contagious delta variant of coronavirus — and not enough people vaccinated against COVID.
Only 56% of Mecklenburg County residents are at least partially vaccinated, N.C. DHHS reported Monday.
The increases in infections throughout August are seen across nearly every ZIP code in Mecklenburg, data show. Over the last two weeks, all but two saw increases in case rates.
The countywide average is 630.9 new cases per 100,000 residents, based on positive coronavirus test results from August 5 to August 18.
The case rate data by ZIP code show only the most recent, or active, infections detected by coronavirus testing. Mecklenburg Public Health typically releases ZIP code-level data weekly and the rate is based on a 14-day average.
Other ZIP codes with high case rate concentrations are 28203 (South End and parts of Dilworth), 28213 (south of University City, including Hidden Valley and neighborhoods along Old Concord Road), 28214 (west Charlotte, on border with Gaston County) and 28206 (neighborhoods in northeast Charlotte along North Tryon). All have logged case rates above 800, which is less than 1% of residents in those areas over a two-week time-frame.
The latest data show that for another week, the lowest concentration of COVID case rates is in ZIP code 28036, which represents Davidson, followed by ZIP codes 28207, which is in south Charlotte and includes parts of Eastover and neighborhoods along Providence Road, and 28210, which is south Mecklenburg County, along Park Road.
The biggest case rate increases, compared to last week, were in ZIP codes 28215 (east Charlotte, along I-485), 28203 and 28214.
Near the South Carolina border, ZIP code 28134, which had the highest increase in case rates last week, was one of two ZIP codes to see a decrease in case rates. The other, ZIP code 28208, which is in west Charlotte and includes Enderly Park and neighborhoods along West Boulevard, saw the biggest drop — going from a case rate of 745.8 last week to 684.3 this week.
The coronavirus cases likely represent just a fraction of the true number of infections in Mecklenburg. But the demand for COVID-19 tests is soaring.
In the past week, an average of 3,500 tests were administered, compared to about 1,400 at this point last month, according to an Observer analysis of county public health data.
COVID-19 case rates by ZIP code
This data comes from Mecklenburg County Public Health and includes positive COVID-19 test results, based on a person’s home ZIP code, between Aug. 5 and Aug. 18.
Below 500 cases per 100,000 residents:
- 28036: 344.6
- 28207: 469.8
- 28210: 486.4
Case rates between 500-600:
28226: 507.1
28277: 514.3
28270: 528.7
28211: 552.7
28105: 557.5
28217: 574.5
28212: 598.2
Between 600-800:
28269: 629.9
28134: 669.7
28262: 683.5
28208: 684.3
28209: 684.3
28031: 689.6
28205: 694.9
28078: 695.0
28227: 708.4
28273: 722.4
28278: 731.5
28215: 754.9
Above 800:
28202: 835.1
28216: 855.4
28206: 863.2
28214: 871.1
28213: 875.7
28203: 951.2
28204: 1,022.1
Alison Kuznitz and Gavin Off contributed to this report.
This story was originally published August 24, 2021 at 11:50 AM.
