Nov. 3. The number of North Carolinians hospitalized due to COVID-19 climbed in today’s NC Dept. of Health & Human Services coronavirus update, ending 10 straight days of declining hospitalizations due to the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the director of the Centers for Disease control has endorsed a two-dose series of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5-11, the final step in the approval process that makes coronavirus vaccines available to millions of younger children.

Hospitalizations

The NCDHHS today reported 1,194 people hospitalized in North Carolina due to COVID, up from 1,150 people hospitalized yesterday. Two months ago on Sept. 3, there were 3,800 people hospitalized with the coronavirus.

New cases

The NCDHHS today reported 1,777 new cases of the coronavirus, up from1,214 new cases yesterday.

The peak of the Delta variant in North Carolina was late August/early September when there were days with more 8,000 newly reported cases.

Deaths

The NCDHHS also reported 61 new COVID-related deaths today.

Testing

The statewide positivity rate fell to 4.5 percent today, under the target goal of 5 percent.

Mecklenburg

In Mecklenburg County, there were 153 new cases but no new deaths in today’s NCHDDS report.

North Mecklenburg (change from Tuesday)

• Cornelius: 3 new cases, 4,032 cumulative total, 31 deaths cumulative total.

• Davidson: 2 new cases, 2,345 cumulative total, 19 deaths cumulative total.

• Huntersville: 16 new cases, 8,819 cumulative total, 74 deaths cumulative total.