CHARLOTTE, N.C. —Since Aug. 1, 3,098 people in North Carolina have died due to COVID-19, making up 18% of all coronavirus deaths statewide since the pandemic arrived in the state 19 months ago.
In September, 1,793 died, making it the third-deadliest month of the pandemic, behind December and January, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services data show.
In all of June and July combined, 385 North Carolinians died due to the virus.
The spike in deaths is due to the surge of the delta variant that began in July. Delta is a mutation of the coronavirus that’s more than twice as contagious as the original strain, and that has become the dominant strain in North Carolina, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest CDC data show that more than 97% of sequenced virus in North Carolina is delta.
The vaccine remains the best protection against severe COVID-19.
A DHHS study from late August found that those unvaccinated are more than four times as likely to contract COVID-19 and 15 times more likely to die from the disease, The News & Observer reported.
As of Wednesday, 54% of all North Carolinians and 63% of those eligible for the shot, ages 12 and up, are fully vaccinated. Nationally, those rates are 56% and 66% respectively.
After the delta surge started in July, week-to-week vaccinations started to increase after falling for weeks.
But rates have dropped every week after peaking post-delta the week of Aug. 23, DHHS data show.
As of Wednesday, 702,360 Americans, including 16,945 North Carolinians, have died due to COVID-19 throughout the pandemic.
DHHS reported nearly 3,600 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday. Over the last week, the state has reported just over 3,800 new cases per day.
That rate has dropped from the 4,600 reported a week ago. A month ago it was over 7,100.
With 2,586 hospitalizations reported Wednesday, hospital capacity has returned to mid-August levels. Patients requiring intensive care have dropped to 702.
ICU patients statewide peaked at 955 in late August.
Among the tests reported Monday, the latest day available, 9.2% returned positive, bringing the daily average over the past week of available data to 8%.
That rate has dropped from 11.5% reported a month ago. State health officials want it at 5% or lower.
COVID-19 metrics reported by DHHS each day are preliminary and subject to change as more information is reported.
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