Oct. 7. The NC Dept. of Health and Human Services is reporting an increase in the number of new cases of COVID-19 statewide: 1,711 new cases of the coronavirus in today’s report, up from 1,504 new cases in yesterday’s report.

There have been a total of 222,969 North Carolina cases statewide since the outbreak began here in March.

Tests, meanwhile, are coming back positive at the rate of 6.4 percent statewide, an improvement from more than 7 percent recently. The goal, according to NCDHHS, is less than 5 percent. More than 3.2 million tests have been completed.

New deaths

There were 23 new deaths in today’s report, for a total of 3,693 North Carolinians who have died.

Hospitalizations

Hospitalizations rose to 1,028 statewide, up from 1,013 in yesterday’s NCDHHS report.

Mecklenburg

The NCDHHS today reported 128 new cases in Mecklenburg County, up from 108 new cases in yesterday’s report. The cumulative total is now 29,829 county-wide.

The NCDHHS today reported one new COVID-19 death in Mecklenburg. The total now stands at 364.

Mecklenburg coronavirus tests are coming back positive at the rate of 4.4 percent, below the NCDHHS 5 percent target.

North Mecklenburg

Cornelius: 3 new cases, total 573. Total/cumulative deaths remain at 16.

Davidson: 0 new cases, total 312. Total/cumulative deaths remain at 6.

Huntersville: 14 new cases, total 1,062. Total/cumulative deaths remain at 13.