RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — North Carolina health officials report the smallest one-day count of new COVID-19 cases in more than three months.

The state Department of Health and Human Services on Monday also said the count of patients in hospitals continued to drop, falling closer to 1,500 for the first time since early August.

NCDHHS added just 1,183 new cases Monday — the fewest since July 20, when the 871 cases that day marked the last time the total failed to reach four figures.

The agency added a total of 5,745 new cases over the weekend. There were 18 single days during September when at least that many new cases were reported.

It dropped the seven-day average below 2,200 for the first time since July 29. That average has fallen every day for more than five weeks.

The count of hospitalized patients also continued falling, dropping for the 31st straight day.

There were 1,527 people in hospitals across the state Monday — only about 40 percent of the more than 3,800 at the peak on Sept. 9.

The state also reported 102 deaths over the weekend, raising the total to 17,867.

VACCINE DOSE COUNT:
9,499 first doses
1,078 single-shot J&J doses
23,623 total doses