NC COVID-19 Cases Surge More Than 1,500, Hospitalizations Dip

NORTH CAROLINA — The number of known cases of COVID-19 in North Carolina jumped by 1,552, the largest one-day increase in lab-confirmed cases reported in the state in nearly two weeks. North Carolina reported a total of 189,576 known COVID-19 cases and 3,180 deaths, an increase of 31 lives lost to the virus since Wednesday, according to data provided by North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Nearly six percent of tests in North Carolina were positive Thursday, DHHS data showed.

Hospitalizations dipped overnight throughout the state. At least 894 patients were hospitalized for COVID-like symptoms Thursday, a decrease of 24 patients since Wednesday.

A Sept. 17 survey of 96 percent of the state's hospitals reported that there were 5,243 empty staffed inpatient hospital beds and 526 empty staffed intensive care unit beds remaining in the state. Ventilators also remained in supply, according to the survey, with 2,316 available, DHHS said.

About 23 percent of the state's hospitalized coronavirus patients were in hospitals located in the Charlotte metro region, DHHS said. Of the 204 patients hospitalized, 82 suspected COVID-19 patients and 21 confirmed COVID-19 patients were admitted since Wednesday. Hospitals in the 13-county region reported 1,117 empty staffed inpatient hospital beds and 99 empty staffed intensive care beds.

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As of Thursday, there were eight COVID-19 clusters reported in North Carolina schools and 13 active clusters at child care centers. DHHS defines a cluster as five or more lab-confirmed cases that are linked. As of Sept. 17, there were at least 47 positive COVID-19 cases associated with school clusters and at least 328 positive cases associated with child care centers.

Globally, nearly 30 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and more than 942,000 people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Thursday. In the United States, more than 6.6 million people have been infected and more than 197,000 people have died from COVID-19.

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