CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina has once again set another COVID-19 case record with more than 20,000 new cases reported Wednesday.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the state reported 20,770 new cases on Wednesday, Jan. 5. The positivity rate is also rising. Data shows nearly 20% of tests over the last two weeks have found an infection, meaning one in five people getting a test is learning of an infection. The last day of positivity rate data (Monday) shows more than 30% of people tested had COVID-19.
The state's COVID-19 patient count is also accelerating its climb. Data shows nearly 3,100 people are hospitalized, up by nearly 150 since Tuesday. Hospitalizations have risen by triple-digits on eight of the last nine days. The count increase from Sunday to Monday, about 250 patients, was the largest one-day jump the state has recorded.
"I know many of you are weary and frustrated," Gov. Roy Cooper said during a COVID-19 briefing Tuesday afternoon. "I know it was difficult for people who wanted to do the right thing over the holidays and to make difficult decisions with family and friends."
Cooper said he understands it can be scary to see so many people testing positive for the virus but explained that the omicron variant appears to be less severe for people who are fully vaccinated and boosted.
"We have the benefit of so much more information, science and data than we did at the start of the pandemic," Cooper said. "Getting more people vaccinated and boosted is the key. I and my family have, and that's the strongest protection we have to fight this virus and live normal lives."
"This virus and its variants are going to be with us a while, but we're getting better and better at dealing and living with it, so we'll keep doing that," Cooper said.
More than 87% of people in North Carolina ICUs are unvaccinated, according to NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley.
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