708 New COVID-19 Cases As NC Set To Enter Phase 2 Reopening

NORTH CAROLINA — At least 708 cases of new coronavirus were confirmed Friday, increasing the state's total to 21,618 cases. One out of five nursing homes in North Carolina is also currently reporting a COVID-19 outbreak, according to the latest batch of data released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

The news comes as North Carolina is set to enter Phase 2 of easing restrictions Friday at 5 p.m.

A total of 728 people in North Carolina have lost their lives due to coronavirus-related illness, up 12 deaths since Thursday.

SEE ALSO: NC Cleared For 'Modest' Phase 2 To Begin Friday: Gov. Cooper

The state collected results from 12,579 tests Friday, which increased the total number of tests processed in the state to 303,224. The state's goal is to test between 5,000 and 7,000 people per day and state public health officials say increases in the number of confirmed cases are expected as testing ramps up throughout North Carolina.

COVID-19 outbreaks in congregate living facilities, such as nursing homes, residential care facilities and correctional facilities included 4,636 confirmed cases Friday, or about 21 percent of the total cases in the state, according to NC DHHS data.

As of Friday, 83 of the state's 409 nursing home facilities had a COVID-19 outbreak. State health officials also reported outbreaks at 36 residential care facilities and 18 correctional facilities. At least 386 nursing home residents, 56 residential care facility residents and 15 inmates in North Carolina have died from coronavirus-related illness.

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Hospitalizations dipped slightly overnight to 568 with coronavirus-related illness, 10 fewer than reported Thursday. As of May 18, an estimated 11,637 residents who were confirmed to have the coronavirus are considered likely recovered, NC DHHS said.

According to the state agency, a survey of about 86 percent of the state's hospitals shows that 25 percent of North Carolina's ventilators are currently in use.

The supply of hospital beds in North Carolina, is growing smaller, with 82 percent of the state's intensive care beds and 76 percent of inpatient hospital beds listed as in use Friday.

Mecklenburg County continues to report the most number of positive cases. As of Friday, 2,954 people had tested positive and 72 COVID-19 deaths were reported in the county, DHHS said. In the Research Triangle, Wake County reported 1,389 confirmed cases and 32 deaths as of Thursday. Durham County reported 1,162 confirmed cases and 42 deaths.

Globally, more than 5.1 million have been infected by COVID-19, and more than 335,000 people have lost their lives, Johns Hopkins University reported Friday afternoon. In the U.S., nearly 1.6 million people have been infected and at least 95,052 people have died from COVID-19.

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