Dec. 30. The NC Dept. of Health & Human Services reported 18,571 new cases of the coronavirus statewide on Thursday and a positivity rate of 22 percent. COVID-related hospitalizations climbed to 2,258, up from 1,157 on Dec. 1.

It’s the highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a single day in 2021.

Deaths

There were 60 new COVID deaths statewide in Thursday’s NCDHHS report. None have been reported in Mecklenburg for three days in a row.

Mecklenburg

There were 253 new cases reported county-wide between Wednesday and Thursday.

Mecklenburg’s 14-day average positive test rate is 13.5 percent.

Back in November, the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners made news by lowering the threshold to lift the county’s mask mandate. Once the COVID-19 positivity rate falls below 5 percent for seven consecutive days, the mask mandate will be lifted.The county Mecklenburg Health Dept.

North Mecklenburg (change from Wednesday)

• Cornelius: 31 new cases, 4,515 cumulative total, 32 deaths cumulative total.

• Davidson: 12 new cases, 2,614 cumulative total, 19 deaths cumulative total.

• Huntersville: 81 new cases, 10,001 cumulative total, 74 deaths cumulative total.

Last year on this date

On Dec. 30 2020 there were 8,551 new cases and 3,339 people hospitalized in North Carolina due to the coronavirus.