RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina reported a record number of new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, just days before Thanksgiving.
The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 4,514 new cases, breaking Thursday's record of 4,296 cases. Four of North Carolina's five highest daily case totals have come since Wednesday.
Sunday's cases were reported alongside a surge in testing, with DHHS reporting 69,172 new tests on Sunday. Health officials have urged those who are considering traveling for Thanksgiving to seek out tests beforehand.
The 7-day average for North Carolina's test positivity rate has remained above 8% since Nov. 15. On Friday, the last day for which data is available, the state reported a daily positivity rate of 7.1%, which brought the 7-day rate to 8.2%.
North Carolina reported its 5,000th death from COVID-19 on Saturday, a grim marker that it continued to surge past Sunday with 29 more deaths.
There are 1,571 patients in hospitals statewide with COVID-19, with 97% of hospitals reporting data.
