NC coronavirus update January 4: Free COVID-19 testing continues in Raleigh, Wake County
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MONDAY MORNING HEADLINES
The U.K. has given out the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford. Officials said they have 530,000 doses of the vaccine and will continue to give out the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Dialysis patient Brian Pinker was the first to get the new vaccine shot at Oxford University Hospital.
Free COVID-19 testing is continuing this week in Wake County. You can get a free COVID-19 test at Roberts Park, Marsh Creek Park and Method Community Park in Raleigh this week. No ID or insurance is required. More information is available at the Wake County COVID-19 website.
SEE ALSO | Larry King hospitalized in Los Angeles with COVID-19
SUNDAY
7:15 p.m.
The North Carolina women’s basketball game on Tuesday at Louisville has been postponed due to a COVID-19 related problem within the UNC program.
The game was originally scheduled back in mid-December but was postponed due to a positive test within the University of Louisville program.
12 p.m.
North Carolina is reporting 6,487 more COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 564,924.
Hospitalizations throughout the state have reached another record high with 3,576. On Saturday, NCDHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said 783 people were in the ICU.
The state is reporting a percent positive test rate of 13.6%, slightly down from Saturday’s 15.5%.
Throughout North Carolina, there have been 18 more deaths, bringing the total to 6,910.
Since Saturday, the state is reporting 52,932 more completed COVID-19 tests. More than 7 million tests have been administered since the start of the pandemic.
The state did not report COVID-19 data on New Year’s Day. NCDHHS released data Saturday showing New Year’s Day and Jan. 2 showed more than 18,800 new COVID-19 cases.
7:20 a.m.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, there have been 20,430,088 COVID-19 cases in the United States since March.
SATURDAY
4:25 p.m.
In response to the first two days of increasing COVID-19 cases, Gov. Roy Cooper tweeted, “The first two days of this year have broken case count records. These numbers need to be a wake up call. Wear a mask and follow the safety measures in place to drive down the numbers. It takes all of us doing our part.”
2:30 p.m.
The first responders from big cities and small towns rolled into the parking lot of Wake County’s Public Health Center on Saturday with the same mission: COVID-19 vaccinations needed more than ever after the release of rising case numbers over the weekend.
“This virus is spreading through the state and I’m doubling down,” said Governor Roy Cooper days before the release of Saturday’s alarming numbers. “Because we’re gonna do whatever is necessary to keep the people of North Carolina safe. And we’re gonna do what’s necessary to prevent overwhelming our hospital system in big cities.”
The available shots should help protect hundreds of first responders who already rely on PPE and other safety gear. So they’re rolling up their sleeves for the vaccine now.
“It’s gonna be a long process, to get through the entire community,” said Wake EMS Public Information Officer Jeffrey Hammerstein. “But we’re starting at the beginning and we will get there eventually.”
12:45 p.m.
North Carolina is reporting 9,356 more COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to 558,437.
North Carolina hospitalizations remain high but went down by 14, bringing the total to 3,479. That number is not the record but still remains among the highest hospitalization numbers the state has seen during the pandemic. NCDHHS said Saturday 783 people are in the ICU.
The state is reporting a percent positive test rate of 15.5%, up from Thursday’s 13.3%. This is the highest rate since the start of the pandemic.
Throughout North Carolina, there have been 144 more deaths, bringing the total to 6,892.
Since Thursday, the state is reporting 132,953 completed COVID-19 tests. More than 7 million tests have been administered since the start of the pandemic.
The state did not report COVID-19 data on New Year’s Day, meaning this is the first update since Dec. 31, 2020.
NCDHHS said on Jan 1., North Carolina reported its highest one-day number of COVID-19 cases with 9,527 new cases reported. Cases also remained high Jan. 2 with 9,356 new cases reported.
“We begin 2021 in our most dangerous position in this pandemic. We have critically high rates of spread in much of our state,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “I encourage you to avoid getting together indoors with anyone who doesn’t live with you. If you plan to see other people keep it outside and very small. Wear a mask the whole time. We must do all that we can to protect one another.”
7:45 a.m.
Overnight, the ACC announced the Duke at Florida State men’s basketball game slated for Saturday has been postponed.
The postponement follows a positive test, subsequent quarantining and contract tracing in the Florida State program.
Duke announced Friday night that men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski would miss Saturday night’s game at Florida State to quarantine following a COVID-19 exposure.
7:15 a.m.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, there have been 20,136,182 COVID-19 cases in the United States.
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