Raleigh, NC – North Carolina reported the largest one-day death rate from the coronavirus pandemic to date on Wednesday. A record 98 new deaths were recorded.
To date, 5,979 people in the state have died from the virus, and more than 303,000 have lost their lives across the country.
At the same time, hospital admissions continue to rise – to a record 2,811 on Wednesday, a jump from 76 from the day before and roughly double the number in the week of Thanksgiving.
More than 15% of all hospital patients statewide have tested positive for the coronavirus, and nearly a quarter of the ICU beds in the state are filled with COVID-19 patients.
“Too many North Carolina people are becoming seriously ill,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the State Department of Health and Human Services, said Tuesday.
“I know we all become so numb to these numbers, so I ask you to take a moment to think about who these people are. They are our neighbors, our friends, our relatives – they are people we love, Cohen said. “I know no one wants this for our state.”
Cohen and Governor Roy Cooper said the increase in the virus – North Carolina also registered an additional 5,273 new infections on Wednesday, seven days out of the last eight, when the daily total was more than 5,000 – was expected after people traveled and had family gatherings for Thanksgiving. .
They said the numbers could be even worse after Hanukkah, Christmas and other holidays in the coming weeks, and Cooper once again urged people to forgo traditional gatherings and choose to call loved ones or chat online.
“If you must [travel]“It’s essential that you get tested, wear a mask, keep it small and keep it outdoors,” he said.
The percentage of positive tests also hit a record at 12.5% on Wednesday. That’s two and a half times the 5% positive rate that Cooper and Cohen want to see to control the spread of the virus.