Orange County, home to UNC, has sharp increase in coronavirus cases, NC DHHS reports
North Carolina reported 1,153 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, as new lab-confirmed infections continued an overall decline.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services has now reported 147,932 COVID-19 cases in the state since the first was confirmed in March. The official total is likely an undercount because coronavirus tests were rationed early in the pandemic.
The state Department of Health and Human Services reported 35 additional COVID-19 deaths, bringing the total in North Carolina to 2,431.
DHHS reported Monday that 127,749 people are presumed recovered, with the estimate based on when people were tested and whether or not they were hospitalized.
On Tuesday, 7% of tests were positive. State health officials have said they want a positivity rate of 5% or lower.
The state health agency reported 1,001 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Tuesday, with 91% of hospitals reporting.
While new cases are declining overall, counties are facing more viral spread as universities begin their fall semesters.
More UNC System campuses announced COVID-19 clusters this week, after UNC-Chapel Hill said Monday it was shifting to all remote-learning and asked most students to return to their permanent addresses. UNC-Chapel Hill identified four COVID-19 clusters in the first week of classes.
Twenty-eight percent of COVID-19 cases in Orange County are among people ages 18 to 24, according to DHHS, compared to 14% in that age group statewide.
N.C. State University reported a cluster in an off-campus house, and as of Tuesday counted coronavirus infections of 41 students and one employee on its dashboard, The News & Observer reported.
Appalachian State University shut down football practice after seven students and four staff members associated with the team tested positive for the coronavirus, The Charlotte Observer reported.
The trend line for new cases had been dropping in Orange County since mid-July, as it had for the rest of the state. The seven-day average started to rise again in Orange County about a week ago. On Aug. 11, three new coronavirus cases were counted in Orange. On Wednesday, the county reported 48 new cases.
Seven-day new case averages are continuing to decline in Durham, home to Duke University and N.C. Central University.
Duke University said in a message to its undergraduates Tuesday that it is investigating seven instances of flagrant misconduct or repeat violations of COVID-19 safety rules.
Pop-up testing is still available in the state.
Free, drive-thru testing will be available in Raleigh next week, on Aug. 24, 25 and 27-29, according to a county news release. Testing at Sunnybrook Building parking deck at 2925 Holston Lane is for people who meet specific criteria, sign up in advance, and complete a registration form.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 2:06 PM with the headline "Orange County, home to UNC, has sharp increase in coronavirus cases, NC DHHS reports."