Omicron Makes Up Less Than 1 Percent Of COVID-19 Cases In NC

NORTH CAROLINA — The southeast region including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee is experiencing less omicron variant of COVID-19 than the national average, according to the CDC.

Only one case has been reported statewide in North Carolina, so the percentage of total cases is negligible given not all cases of COVID are sequenced to learn what strain they are. The omicron variant has been found in 33 states.

Rochelle Walensky, who heads the CDC, said Tuesday it appears the omicron variant causes less severe cases and could be less worrisome than the delta variant. She said there's still reason for concern.

"You still have a lot of people who are getting sick," she said, adding some of the most vulnerable people could experience severe COVID-related illness or death.

Regardless of the omicron variant, cases are still being reported across the state, which according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has a 9.2 percent positivity rate as of Wednesday.

According to Dr. Mandy Cohen, state health secretary, cases are spiking in younger people, the least vaccinated segment of the population including young children and teenagers.

More than 1,500 people are also hospitalized statewide, and 19,033 people have died since the onset of the pandemic.

The Charlotte region has experienced more COVID than the national average.

In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metropolitan area, which covers parts of North Carolina and South Carolina, a total of 427,858 COVID-19 cases have been reported to date. Adjusted for population, there have been 17,300 reported infections for every 100,000 people in the area — above the national rate of 15,051 cases per 100,000 people.

North Carolina did experience its first flu death of the 2021-2022 flu season this week, prompting health officials to recommend a flu shot in addition to a COVID-19 vaccination. The two can be taken in conjunction with each other, according to the CDC.