Oct. 15. A day after a panel of outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration approved the Moderna booster shot, the NC Dept. of Health & Human Services is reporting another day of fewer COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide.

Today’s report lists 2,074 North Carolinians hospitalized, down 45 percent from the Delta variant peak of 3,800 set on Sept. 3.

The NCDHHS nevertheless reported 3,182 new cases today, down from 3,761 new cases yesterday but both are well below the 4,963 new cases reported on Oct. 1.

Deaths

The NCDHHS reported 46 new COVID-related deaths statewide, including six in Mecklenburg County. An earlier death in Cornelius was re-classified as not being COVID-related.

Testing

The statewide positivity rate rose slightly to 6.1 percent

Mecklenburg

In Mecklenburg County, there were 283 new cases reported today. The county-wide positive test rate fell slightly to 7.4 percent.

North Mecklenburg (change from Thursday)

•Cornelius: 1 new case, 3,946 cumulative total, 28 deaths cumulative total.

•Davidson: 1 new case, 2,291 cumulative total, 17 deaths cumulative total.

•Huntersville: 21 new cases, 8,635 cumulative total, 73 deaths cumulative total.