May 27. By Dave Yochum. The number of patients reported hospitalized with COVID-19 has reached a new high since the NC Department of Health and Human Services started releasing that data. NCDHHS says 702 people are receiving in-patient care.

Meanwhile, White House health advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said a second wave of the coronavirus outbreak is “not inevitable.” He said we can prevent another wave of Covid-19 if states reopen “correctly.”

Phase Two of reopening began last Friday in North Carolina. New data from the NCDHHS shows increases in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths, as well as massive increases in testing.

North Carolina has seen a total of 24,628 coronavirus cases, according to state health data released Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, the same measure of the pandemic showed 24,140 cases statewide since mid-March.

One week ago, the NCDHHS reported 20,122 cases, for an increase of 4,505 in one week.

Mecklenburg County had 3,478 cases on Wednesday. (We are reporting only NCDHHS data to remain consistent across counties and from day to day. Mecklenburg County Health data may differ based on collection times and other factors.)

Death totals

The total number of deaths statewide rose from 728 at the start of the Memorial Day weekend on Friday to 766 Tuesday and 794 as of this morning at 11 am.

One week ago, the state reported 702 deaths due to COVID-19.

The NCDHHS reports 80 people with COVID-19 have died in Mecklenburg County, 10 percent of the state total.

More than half of local deaths were connected to nursing homes or long-term care facilities, health department officials have said.

It’s becoming more and more clear COVID-19, at least in North Carolina, is taking the heaviest toll among the elderly. Most people have mild illness and are able to recover at home, according to the Mecklenburg Health Dept.

Mecklenburg increases

Mecklenburg has had several increases in new cases since mid-May. Saturday marked the county’s largest single-day increase, with nearly 200 new cases reported. Increases in the number of cases is to be expected in light of the increase in testing—364,156 tests as of this morning, up 31 percent in a single week.

Mecklenburg remains the epicenter of the North Carolina COVID-19 outbreak. The NCDHHS reports 32 cases per 10,000 residents in Mecklenburg, vs. 14 cases per 10,000 in Wake County.

Wake County is essentially the same size as Mecklenburg. Wake has had 34 deaths to Mecklenburg’s 80.

The increase in cases comes as North Carolina vastly increases testing across the state. State Health Director Dr. Mandy Cohen urges everyone to practice the five W’s. Click here to watch.

Cohen said the increases are  “notable and concerning.”

Ten percent of total tests were positive among labs that report both negative and positive tests into the state electronic reporting system.