North Carolina reported 27,795 new cases of coronavirus in the week ending Sunday, down 4.6% from the previous week. The previous week had 29,137 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
North Carolina ranked eighth among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States increased 10.9% from the week before, with 770,895 cases reported. With 3.15% of the country’s population, North Carolina had 3.61% of the country’s cases in the last week. Across the country, 22 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
Johns Hopkins University data reported incorrect death totals for some North Carolina counties in the May 30 report, figures that were revised later that week.
Gaston County reported 413 cases and one death in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 460 cases and zero deaths. Throughout the pandemic it has reported 67,085 cases and 852 deaths.
Across North Carolina, cases fell in 45 counties, with the best declines in Wake County, with 5,266 cases from 6,148 a week earlier; in Guilford County, with 1,533 cases from 1,697; and in Buncombe County, with 721 cases from 835.
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Within North Carolina, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Wake County with 474 cases per 100,000 per week; Mitchell County with 468; and Durham County with 397. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.
Adding the most new cases overall were Wake County, with 5,266 cases; Mecklenburg County, with 2,994 cases; and Guilford County, with 1,533. Weekly case counts rose in 54 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week’s pace were in Cumberland, Craven and Wilkes counties.
In North Carolina, 16 people were reported dead of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 17 people were reported dead.
A total of 2,772,730 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 24,660 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 84,762,022 people have tested positive and 1,008,585 people have died.
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North Carolina’s COVID-19 hospital admissions rising
USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, June 5.
Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:
- Last week: 1,790
- The week before that: 1,595
- Four weeks ago: 1,172
Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:
- Last week: 58,022
- The week before that: 55,117
- Four weeks ago: 44,923
Hospitals in 35 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 32 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 29 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.
The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control. If you have questions about the data or the story, contact Mike Stucka at mstucka@gannett.com.
