COVID-19 Spread Drops Across State, In Mecklenburg County

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NC — A third of North Carolina counties, including Mecklenburg County, lowered the spread of coronavirus in their communities from peak critical levels in the past two weeks, according to a new County Alert report by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services released Monday.

As of Feb. 22, North Carolina health officials said 27 counties continued to have high spread of COVID-19, 40 counties had substantial community spread and 33 counties had significant community spread.

According to the report, community spread levels in Mecklenburg County dropped to substantial, or "orange," level, with a 14-day COVID-19 percent positive rate of 8.8 percent and a moderate impact on regional hospitals. As of Feb. 22, Mecklenburg County reported more than 95,000 positive cases and at least 838 deaths from COVID-19, according to DHHS data.

In 27 counties in the state, COVID-19 metrics, such as new daily cases and hospitalizations, remain high with community spread remaining at a critical level, DHHS said.

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Counties listed as having critical community spread based upon their new cases over a 14-day period, as well as either a percent positive rate greater than 10 percent, or have a high impact on county hospitals.

North Carolina counties that remain in the critical "red" tier as of Feb. 22 include:

• Alexander County — 10.4 percent positivity
• Alleghany County — 11.1 percent positivity
• Camden County — 13.5 percent positivity
• Catawba County — 11.6 percent positivity
• Cherokee County — 11.4 percent positivity
• Chowan County — 10.1 percent positivity
• Cumberland County — 11.5 percent positivity
• Currituck County — 10.2 percent positivity
• Davidson County — 10.6 percent positivity
• Gaston County — 10.3 percent positivity
• Gates County — 12.8 percent positivity
• Halifax County — 11.3 percent positivity
• Hoke County — 11.9 percent positivity
• Iredell County — 11.9 percent positivity
• Lee County — 11.2 percent positivity
• Macon County — 11.8 percent positivity
• Montgomery County — 10.3 percent positivity
• Moore County — 8.2 percent positivity
• Nash County — 10.1 percent positivity
• Perquimans County — 11.3 percent positivity
• Person County — 10.9 percent positivity
• Randolph County — 10.9 percent positivity
• Rowan County — 11.1 percent positivity
• Scotland County — 7.9 percent positivity
• Stokes County — 11.7 percent positivity
• Surry County — 16.2 percent positivity
• Washington County — 14.8 percent positivity

Overall, the report reflects the lowest number of counties with critical levels of community spread since the state launched the County Alert System, DHHS said.

"Although North Carolina’s key metrics remain high, they are moving in a positive direction with decreasing trends in numbers of COVID-19 cases reported each day, people being hospitalized with COVID-19, people in the intensive care unit, and the percent of tests that are positive," DHHS said. "Continued adherence to the 3Ws – wearing a face mask, waiting six feet apart, and washing hands often – along with the start of vaccinations are slowing the spread of the virus."