Dec. 2. The NC Dept. of Health & Human Services today reported more than 3,000 new cases due to the pandemic for a second day in a row. Positivity rates both statewide and in Mecklenburg County remain over 5 percent.

The NCDHHS at noon today said there were 3,780 new cases statewide, up from 3,039 new cases yesterday. They’re the largest increases since Oct. 21.

The data are changing as the first case of the omicron variant was confirmed Wednesday in California. For an excellent data-in-motion look at COVID across the United States (from Johns Hopkins University), click here.

Positive test rate

The statewide positive test rate was reported at 7.4 percent; Mecklenburg County’s at 7 percent. Both rates were under 6 percent in early November.

Hospitalizations

State health officials said there were 1,214 people hospitalized with COVID statewide, up from 1,157 yesterday

Deaths

The NCDHHS today also reported 31 new COVID-related deaths statewide. There were no COVID deaths reported in Mecklenburg.

North Mecklenburg (change from Wednesday)

• Cornelius: 7 new cases, 4,152 cumulative total, 32 deaths cumulative total.

• Davidson: 5 new cases, 2,422 cumulative total, 19 deaths cumulative total.

• Huntersville: 24 new cases, 9,152 cumulative total, 74 deaths cumulative total.

18,807 have died of COVID in North Carolina since March 2020, according to state health officials.