A record-high 10,398 new COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in North Carolina during the most recent 24-hour period, according to the N.C. Dept. of Health and Human Services’ dashboard, while the number of hospitalizations continued to climb toward the 4,000 mark.
Since Governor Cooper and NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen implored North Carolinians yesterday to take immediate action to protect themselves and others from the coronavirus–emphasizing again the imperative that they wear masks and stay home except for essential activities–67 more people have been hospitalized for COVID-19, and 137 have died.
Statewide hospitalizations now total 3,960, while deaths number 7,213.
The Dare County Dept. of Health and Human Services did not update its COVID-19 dashboard yesterday. At 11 a.m. today, it posted new case reports for yesterday, showing 53 people, including 38 Dare County residents, had tested positive for COVID-19.
UPDATE: Later in the day the DCDHHS posted 57 more new COVID-19 cases, 40 residents and 17 nonresidents, for a two-day case total of 110. The DCDHHS dashboard also added the hospitalization of a Dare County resident, without explanation.
The Beacon, 1/7/21
The Southern Shores Beacon 