Coronavirus: State hospitalizations up 43 percent in last month, but available beds basically unchanged

ELIZABETHTOWN — North Carolina on Saturday set one-day highs for increase in lab-confirmed coronavirus cases and for number hospitalized.

But hospitals, according to DHHS numbers, are no closer to being overwhelmed today than they were a month ago despite a 43 percent increase in patients.

The state Department of Health and Human Services, in its report released at noon, said 2,462 cases had been added and 1,093 people are hospitalized. There have been 83,793 cases since the pandemic began.

The death toll climbed by 20 to 1,499.

The number hospitalized has not spiked, but instead has been on a slow climb in volume. On June 12, 760 were hospitalized. Two weeks later, there were 892 on June 26 and the new high had become 915, set June 23.

Saturday represented a 43.8 percent increase of the June 12 number, but according to DHHS there’s virtually no change to the hospital statistics in the three dates:

• Saturday: With 88 percent of the state’s hospitals reporting, DHHS says there is availability of 74 percent of the ventilators, 23 percent of the intensive care unit beds and 22 percent of all hospital beds.

• June 26: With 90 percent of the state’s hospitals reporting, DHHS says there is availability of 74 percent of the ventilators, 23 percent of the intensive care unit beds and 23 percent of all hospital beds.

• June 12: With 84 percent of the state’s hospitals reporting, DHHS says there is availability of 72 percent of the ventilators, 22 percent of the intensive care unit beds and 21 percent of all hospital beds.

Bladen County added six more cases on Saturday, moving its total since the pandemic began to 430. There have been five deaths and four people are hospitalized. The number of active cases remained below 100 for the fourth consecutive day, at 83; there have been 342 recoveries.

The postal ZIP code report from the state Department of Health and Human Services lists 116 cases in Elizabethtown and White Lake since the pandemic began; 31 each in White Oak, Clarkton and East Arcadia; 30 in Bladenboro; 22 in Tar Heel; seven in Council; six in Kelly; and five in Dublin. The numbers do not match the state’s county total because not all communities are represented.

Two deaths were in Bladenboro, and one each in Tar Heel and White Oak; one has not been included since the third death was reported June 25.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. But for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, the highly contagious virus can cause severe symptoms and be fatal.

In state numbers, the total cases have been 45 percent ages 25-49, with 31 percent ages 50 and up. Fifty-one percent of the infections have been in women. Fifty-nine percent of deaths have been those 75 or older, and another 20 percent have been ages 65-74. Fifty-three percent of the deaths have been men.

In Bladen County’s numbers, 15 percent of the cases are ages 18-24, and another 9 percent are 17 or younger. The majority, 46 percent, are ages 25-49. Fifty-eight percent of the cases have been men. Three of the five deaths have been women.

In adjacent counties to Bladen, there have been 133 deaths and 5,323 cases. Cumberland has 41 deaths and 1,558 cases; Robeson has 44 deaths and 1,620 cases; Columbus has 39 deaths and 607 cases; Sampson has seven deaths and 1,185 cases; and Pender has two deaths and 353 cases.

Congregate living settings in North Carolina have totaled 855 deaths and 8,574 positive cases. Outbreaks have been identified and are active at 139 nursing homes, 87 residential care facilities, 25 correctional institutions and 11 other facilities. Of those, five each are in Cumberland, Robeson and Sampson, four are in Columbus, and three are in Bladen. There is also one cluster in Cumberland County.

The Bladen County outbreaks on Moore’s Swamp Road in Ivanhoe and Sleepy Creek Drive in Harrells each have 54 cases, and Cape Fear Teen Challenge in Elizabethtown still lists two cases for residents. The breakdown at the Ivanhoe location is three staff and 51 residents; it is 54 staff at the Harrells location.

The state defines an outbreak as two or more.

In the personal protective equipment category, no category has less than an 84-day supply.

A combined 13 metropolitan counties have the state’s three largest cities and account for 46.5 percent of the deaths (697) and 54.3 percent of the cases (45,531).

In the Charlotte area, Mecklenburg County has 159 deaths and 14,607 positive cases, Rowan County has 43 deaths and 1,494 cases, Cabarrus County has 33 deaths and 1,580 cases, Union County has 25 deaths and 1,778 cases, and Gaston County has 15 deaths and 1,742 cases — a total of 275 deaths and 21,201 cases.

In and near the Triangle area, Durham County has 68 deaths and 4,425 cases, Wake County has 66 deaths and 7,204 cases, Johnston County has 35 deaths and 1,980 cases, and Orange County has 42 deaths and 933 cases — a total of 211 deaths and 14,542 cases.

In the interior of the 12-county Piedmont Triad, Guilford County has 125 deaths and 3,495 cases, Forsyth County has 39 deaths and 3,622 cases, Randolph County has 32 deaths and 1,443 cases, and Davidson County has 15 deaths and 1,228 cases — a total of 211 deaths and 9,788 cases.

According to the coronavirus tracker of Johns Hopkins University, available on BladenJournal.com, more than 3.2 million confirmed cases and 134,000 deaths are counted in the U.S. The second-highest case total is in Brazil, with more than 1.8 million.

There are more than 12.5 million cases worldwide, with more than 561,000 deaths.