April 16. By Dave Yochum. The NC Dept. of Health & Human Services today reported 2,475 new cases of COVID-19 statewide, well above the median of the past 31 days.

A Washington Post headline yesterday: “Spring wave of coronavirus crashes across 38 states as hospitalizations increase.”

In North Carolina, today’s increase was still far below that of Jan. 16, when the NCDHHS reported 7,986 new cases of the coronavirus statewide.

Increase: 7 days vs. 31 days

The median of the past seven days of new cases (2,359) statewide is 16 percent ahead of the median of the past 31 days (2,034). (See chart; data from Johns Hopkins.) Medians are calculated by business days, skipping Saturday and Sunday.

Hospitalizations

The NCDHHS reported 1,064 people hospitalized due to the coronavirus, up from 977 a week ago today.

Testing

The statewide positive test rate is at 5.5 percent in today’s report; Mecklenburg is at 6.8 percent.

Deaths

There were 28 new deaths statewide, for a total of 12,387 since the pandemic began last year. There have been no new deaths in Mecklenburg County since Tuesday.

Vaccinations

A total of 45.8 percent of North Carolinians have been partially vaccinated; 33.3 percent fully vaccinated.

North Mecklenburg

Cornelius: 8 new cases, 2,780 cumulative; 24 deaths total.

Davidson: 4 new cases, 1,618 cumulative; 15 deaths total.

Huntersville: 23 new cases, 5,691 cumulative; 48 deaths total.