28 New COVID-19 Deaths, 1,892 Confirmed Cases In NC

NORTH CAROLINA — North Carolina reported 1,892 newly confirmed novel coronavirus cases Thursday, increasing the total number of known cases in the state to 106,893. According to state public health data, the increase represents a jump of nearly 6,000 cases confirmed in the case in the span of three days.

The virus death toll also rose across the state overnight. As of Thursday, 1,726 North Carolina residents had lost their lives to coronavirus-related illness, an increase of 28 deaths reported since Wednesday, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

After a slight dip Wednesday, hospitalizations throughout the state increased to 1,188 patients Thursday, 51 patients more than were reported the day before.

A July 23 survey of 94 percent of the state's hospitals indicated there were 4,780 empty inpatient hospital beds and 495 empty intensive care unit beds remaining in the state. Ventilators remained in supply, according to the survey, with about 2,315 remaining available, DHHS said.

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As state officials eye hospital capacity, Charlotte hospitals are seeing an increased number of COVID-19 patients from South Carolina, DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen said earlier this week.

"Our hospitalization data is strictly based on what is happening here within the state of North Carolina, but we're definitely keeping our eye on places where we know where there is a lot of cross-border crossing in order to get their care," Cohen said. "The place we're watching the most closely is the Charlotte area. We've had reports of increased amount of folks coming from South Carolina to North Carolina to get treatment at some of the hospitals in the Charlotte area, as well as get testing."

As of Thursday, a survey of all hospitals in the 13 counties comprising the greater Charlotte metro region reported 83 patients suspected to have COVID-19 were admitted since Wednesday. The hospitals also said there were 40 empty ICU beds and 515 empty staffed inpatient hospital beds remaining in the region.

Globally, more than 15.2 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and nearly 625,000 people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Thursday. In the United States, about 4 million people have been infected and nearly 144,000 people have died from COVID-19.

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