Sept. 28. By Dave Yochum. The NC Dept. of Health and Human Services today reported 868 new cases of COVID-19 statewide under a new tracking system that has also increased the cumulative number of cases and deaths statewide. The new statewide total number of coronavirus cases is 208,248. The total number of deaths reported today is 3,445, up four from Sunday.
On Friday, the NCDHHS began reporting antigen-positive cases, deaths, and tests completed in addition to the regularly reported molecular (PCR) positive cases.
PRCs are classified as “confirmed” cases, while antigen-positive cases are classified as “probable” cases of COVID-19 by the CDC on a national basis, so North Carolina tracking is in line with the rest of the country.
The NCDHHS web site says people are only counted as a case once, even if they have multiple positive tests. The net result was a 4,500-plus bump in cases as well as 25 deaths additional deaths statewide.
Tests and hospitalizations
Positive tests statewide are coming back at the rate of 5.3 percent, lower than the beginning of September when positive results were coming back at around 7 percent. The total number of North Carolinians hospitalized due to COVID-19 fell to 897 in today’s report, down from 917 yesterday and 914 on Saturday. Just under 3 million people have been tested statewide.
Mecklenburg
The NCDHHS reported 66 new cases in Mecklenburg County today. Based on data from Johns Hopkins University, Mecklenburg accounted for 8.4 percent of North Carolina’s new confirmed cases over the past week, while representing 10 percent of the state population.
Back in July, Mecklenburg accounted for 16 percent of new cases. To review Johns Hopkins data, which includes counties all across the country as well as nations around the world, click here.
The NCDHHS did not report any new deaths in Mecklenburg Saturday, Sunday or today. The total number of deaths statewide stood at 352 as of noon.
Mecklenburg coronavirus tests are coming back positive at the rate of 4.2 percent, about level during the past week. At the beginning of the month, positive tests were above 6 percent.
North Mecklenburg
Cornelius: 0 new cases, total 527. Total deaths remain at 16.
Davidson: 0 new cases, total 299. No new deaths since 9/25.
Huntersville: 7 new cases, total 976. No new deaths since 9/26.
The spike 9/25 shows the change in tracking COVID-19 by NCDHHS
