CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina health officials reported a new single-day record for new COVID-19 infections Friday, announcing over 8,400 new cases, over 900 more than the old record set last Friday.
The Department of Health and Human Services reported 8,444 new cases Friday, setting a new single-day record. Friday's report is over 900 cases more than the previous record of 7,540 on Dec. 11. Currently, 2,824 people are hospitalized, the most since the pandemic began, and North Carolina has reported 6,125 deaths related to the virus.
Mecklenburg County's daily COVID-19 cases have more than doubled in one month's time, based on new data released by health officials Friday.
County health officials announced Friday there are currently 54,271 cases of the coronavirus with 508 deaths associated with COVID-19. Mecklenburg County has averaged 626 new cases each day during the past week; that's up from the 14-day average of 595 lab-confirmed cases.
Things have gotten so bad in Mecklenburg County, the per capita COVID-19 cases are as far into the "red zone" as they can be without rising off the chart. The positive test rate is also in the red, with 12% of all tests coming back positive in the past week.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Mecklenburg County have also nearly doubled in the last month. Wednesday set a new record for hospitalizations linked to the virus with 331.
Hospitals in the Charlotte area are preparing for the arrival of the first shipments of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine as early as next week. The vaccine still needs approval from the FDA, but a panel of experts recommended the vaccine be authorized for emergency use.