Using Johns Hopkins University’s data, Cornelius Today compiled a chart of North Carolina’s new confirmed cases of COVID-19 per day from May 8 through June 7. While it appears that North Carolina’s numbers of contraction are on the rise, it is important to note that anomalies may occur in data reporting. The state’s average number of new daily cases since May 8 is 712 and its median is 636. Due to the obvious outliers on May 20, May 22 and May 29, which tend to skew the average, the median is a safer tool in describing the overall trend since May 8; however, the past seven-day average and median are significantly higher, at 978 and 907, respectively. This second set of numbers does not include the outliers mentioned earlier. The increasing seven-day aggregates might indicate an upward trend in confirmed cases or more accessibility to testing.
June 8. By Dave Yochum. Mecklenburg County and the state are in the midst of upward trends in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as well as deaths.
In a week, the statewide death total climbed 108 to 1,006 North Carolinians dead due to COVID-19, according to the NC Dept. of Health. There have been 110 deaths in Mecklenburg County as of 11:30 this morning, up from 92 one week ago on June 1.
Statewide, there are 739 people hospitalized because of COVID-19, up from 650 one week ago. Two weeks ago, on Monday May 25, there were a total of 728 deaths statewide due to COVID-19, and 627 people hospitalized. For Mecklenburg County alone, the one week death count climbed by 18.
The total of 739 hospitalized as of this morning is a new high for North Carolina.
During the past seven days, according to Johns Hopkins University, the median daily number of new COVID-19 cases in North Carolina was 907. During the past 30 days, the median, according to Johns Hopkins data, was 636 a 42.6 percent increase.
NCDHHS data are cumulative since mid-March. Cornelius Today reports NCDHHS data, which includes information from all 100 North Carolina counties. Our charts are based on Johns Hopkins University data that is useful to compare the North Carolina experience with other states and the world.
The data don’t always agree, based on timing and different reporting methods, but the trends are consistent between reporting platforms. Johns Hopkins reports 110,689 deaths nationwide due to COVID-19, and 1,032 as of 1 pm today in North Carolina. New York had 30,374 deaths as of the same time. Japan had 920 as of 1 pm Monday, according to Johns Hopkins.
To view NCDHHS directly, click here, for Johns Hopkins, click here.
The rising numbers in North Carolina coincide with a dramatic increase in testing statewide. As of this morning, there have been 520,113 tests, up 100,000 in one week. Nevertheless, the seven-day average for new cases is more than 1,000.
According to NCDHHS data, African Americans in North Carolina account for 34 percent of all COVID-19 deaths but only 22 percent of the overall population.
Gov. Cooper has signed Executive Order No. 143 to help address the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 is having on communities of color.
Disparities in communities of color are being intensified by the coronavirus pandemic. “This virus is exploiting those inequalities and it’s up to us to do something about it,” said Cooper.
Regardless of race, upward trends in COVID-19 data indicates a wider spread throughout the community as well as fewer restrictions on businesses and public gatherings.
Gibbie Harris, Mecklenburg County health director, said she anticipated increases in COVID-19 cases based on expanded testing and increased commercial and recreational activity.
About 9 percent of people who were tested were positive, a slight increase over the last 14 days.
