RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina added more than 8,000 cases to its coronavirus total Wednesday, while the death toll grew by another 155 people.
December ranks as the deadliest month in the state since the pandemic began in March, a position it reached midway through the month.
At a press conference Wednesday, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said the virus situation is serious enough in the state that North Carolina has received "stark warnings" from the White House.
"I'm very, very worried and talking with our hospital leaders," she said.
DHHS reported 532,830 confirmed cases of COVID-19, up 8,551 from Tuesday's total. DHHS also reported 6,729 fatalities since the pandemic began, up 155 statewide.
Normally, both of these figures would be record highs for the state. North Carolina counted 8,444 new cases on Dec. 18 and 98 deaths two days before.
But DHHS noted that problems with its COVID-19 reporting system Tuesday will would bring a higher tally Wednesday because of the delay. Deaths represent the day a fatality is reported rather than the day it occurred, DHHS has noted.
The rate of positive COVID-19 test results remained more than twice as high as officials have sought, coming in at 14.8%. Cohen has said North Carolina is aiming for 5%.
Meanwhile, the number of hospitalized patients remained near its historic high Wednesday, though it fell by 38 people to 3,339 statewide.
Hospital space remains available with 379 intensive-care beds empty, though that figure is down from 397 on Tuesday.
Gov. Roy Cooper reminded the state that it remains on a stay-at-home order beginning at 10 p.m. as New Year's Eve approaches.
"Our collective New Year's resolution should be keeping each other safe in 2021," Cooper said.
