Feb. 16. The NC Dept. of Health & Human Services reported 6,079 new COVID cases today—higher than the past two days but 16.4 percent lower than the average number of new daily cases last week.

Hospitalizations also fell—to 2,872 statewide, the lowest number since Jan. 3 and 44 percent lower than the peak reached on Jan. 27.

Mask mandate

The Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners is expected to vote on dropping the mask mandate at tonight’s board meeting, starting at 6 pm. Back in November county officials said the percent positivity rate would need to stay below 5 percent for seven consecutive days to remove the mask mandate.

Meetings are broadcast live on The Government Channel. The GOV Channel is available on multiple television channels, including Spectrum – 16 and Digital Channel – 1303, AT&T – 99, TDS and Google Fiber – 141 (HD).

Deaths

There were 133 new deaths attributable to COVID-19, up from 54 yesterday.

Positivity rate

The statewide COVID positivity rate fell after what may have been an upward blip yesterday due to delays in laboratory reporting. The NCDHHS said the statewide positivity rate was 12.5 percent today, down from 17.8 percent yesterday and 14.4 percent on Monday.

—In Mecklenburg, the 14-day trailing average also fell, to 17.4 percent positive.

Mecklenburg

There were 719 new COVID cases reported countywide and 8 new deaths.

North Mecklenburg (change from Tuesday)

• Cornelius: 29 new cases, 6,582 cumulative total, 34 deaths cumulative total.

• Davidson: 8 new cases, 3,991 cumulative total, 21 deaths cumulative total.

• Huntersville: 59 new cases, 14,949 cumulative total, 86 deaths cumulative total.