Mecklenburg COVID-19 Death Toll At 114, Social Distancing Down

HUNTERSVILLE, NC — Nearly 10 percent of people tested for coronavirus in the past week in Mecklenburg County tested positive, county health officials said Tuesday.

The increase in the positivity rate comes as social distancing has decreased in the county in the past two weeks, Mecklenburg County Public Health said, citing mobility tracking data. "Despite this downward trend, social distancing remains higher than before the Stay at Home Order became effective on March 26, 2020," MCPH said.

According to North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, labs in the state have confirmed 5,744 cases of the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, in Mecklenburg County as of June 9. The number released Tuesday represents an increase of more than 1,000 cases in the county in the span of six days. As of June 3, there were 4,670 cases.

Last week, health officials warned that the county could potentially begin to see an increase this week due to statewide Phase 2 easing of restrictions and recent racial justice protests. North Carolina entered what Gov. Roy Cooper called a "modest" Phase 2 easing of restrictions at 5 p.m. May 22 at the start of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

"About 3 in 4 reported cases were adults ages 20 to 59 years old," MCPH said.

Coronavirus has claimed the lives of at least 114 people in Mecklenburg County, MCPH said Tuesday. Of the reported deaths, almost all of them were older than 60, and all except one were among adults with underlying chronic illnesses. Nearly two out of every three deaths was connected to an active outbreak at a long-term care facility, MCPH said.

Nearly 20 percent of the county's deaths have occurred in the Lake Norman towns of Huntersville, Cornelius and Davidson.

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The state continues to see an increase in the number of laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19, with an acceleration in the past week. Monday the state saw its highest number of hospitalizations, just two days after the state reported its highest day-over-day increase in COVID-19 cases.

"We are seeing more viral spread and these numbers are concerning," Gov. Roy Cooper said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

"Our percent of tests that are positive is now among the highest in the nation," North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said. "These trends moving in the wrong direction is a signal that we need to take very seriously."

Tuesday morning, state public health officials reported 37,160 confirmed cases, an increase of nearly 700 new cases since Monday. The death toll for the state increased by 23 new deaths since Monday morning, putting the statewide total at 1,029, NC DHHS said.

Mecklenburg County continues to be the hardest hit county in North Carolina, followed by Wake County, which reported Wednesday 2,371 confirmed cases and 41 deaths.

The areas of the county hardest hit by COVID-19 include:

• Pineville (zip code 28210)
• West Charlotte (zip codes, 28208, 28217)
• East Charlotte (zip codes 28213, 28215, 28205, 28212)
• North Charlotte (zip code 28269)

Here's a breakout of how many of the 5,744 COVID-19 cases in Mecklenburg are present in the Lake Norman region as of June 9, according to NC DHHS:

• Davidson (zip code 28036): 36 cases, 2 death
• Cornelius (zip code 28031): 103 cases, 16 deaths
• Huntersville (zip code 28078): 105 cases, 4 deaths

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