Dec. 18. By Dave Yochum. A record 8,444 new cases of the coronavirus were reported statewide by the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services today. Today’s tally is 12 percent ahead of the previous record of 7,540 new cases set exactly one week ago.

Gov. Roy Cooper and NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen have sent a letter to local elected officials imploring them to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in their communities by considering additional enforcement measures.

—Mecklenburg County reported 937 new cases, also a record. Huntersville has 77 new cases, also a record.

There were 20 new hospitalizations overnight due to the coronavirus for a record 2,824 hospitalized statewide.

Dec. 1 was the first time hospitalizations broke through the 2,000 mark in North Carolina.

Deaths

There were 60 new deaths statewide in today’s report, seven new in Mecklenburg County.

Testing

The statewide positivity rate is 10.5 percent; in Mecklenburg, 11.1 percent.

North Mecklenburg

Cornelius: 30 new cases, 1,312 cumulative; 17 deaths total.

Davidson: 7 new cases, 711 cumulative; 8 deaths total.

Huntersville: 77 new cases, 2,578 cumulative; 20 deaths total.