RALEIGH, N.C. — Here are the latest North Carolina coronavirus updates on cases and the pandemic’s impact on our health, jobs, schools and more:
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9:52 p.m.: There have been 383 new coronavirus cases in North Carolina and 18 new deaths since Monday, according to information provided by the state.
7:48 p.m.: Durham County has confirmed two more COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the total there to 28. Health officials said both residents were over age 65 and had multiple underlying health conditions.
Durham also reported the total number of coronavirus cases at 800.
6:10 p.m.: Gary Salamido, president and CEO of the North Carolina Chamber of Commerce, told WRAL News he believes restaurants know how to keep diners safe and should be allowed to reopen.
The Chamber is advocating for restaurants to reopen their dining rooms in Phase One. They believe gyms could reopen with proper cleaning, and they want to see salons, barbershops, spas and pet groomers allowed to reopen by appointment only.
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5:10 p.m.: Gov. Roy Cooper said he plans to move the state to "Phase One" of a three-phase process toward reopening the economy and allowing people to leave their homes on Friday.
Phase One would allow retailers to open at 50% capacity so long as they enforce social distancing and frequent cleaning. Select businesses where social distancing is more difficult – gyms, salons and restaurants – will remain closed.
Gatherings remain limited to 10 or fewer people, but outdoor gathering is encouraged, the governor said.
Church services of greater than 10 people are allowed so long as social distance can be maintained.
4:29 p.m.: Five nursing homes in North Carolina have reported more than 100 coronavirus cases to the state.
Those homes are: The Citadel at Salisbury in Rowan County, Durham Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Durham County, Pruitt Health-Carolina Point in Orange County, The Laurels of Chatham in Chatham County and Five Oaks Manor Rehab in Cabarrus County.
The Citadel at Salisbury, with the greatest number of cases – 110 residents and 44 staff – also is among the top five in deaths, with 17.
Louisburg Heathcare and Rehab in Franklin County has reported 18 deaths of residents, the greatest concentration of deaths in a long-term care facility.
The official said the task force "will be phased down around Memorial Day. We will continue to have key medical experts advising (President Donald Trump) daily and accessible to press throughout the coming months ahead."
2:41 p.m.: North Carolina is seeing good news in terms of daily new cases of the novel coronavirus and in the daily average number of deaths from the virus.
On Tuesday, the state reported 384 new cases of coronavirus, a slight dip from the day before. The rolling 7-day average of deaths per day shrunk slightly, to 16 from 18.
The number of those hospitalized with symptoms of COVID-19 reached 522, the highest single day total, on Tuesday.
Th percentage of those tested for coronavirus who test positive is holding steady at 8.1%.
2:30 p.m.: The Saab plant in Lillington has added production lines to manufacture personal protection equipment for medical facilities. The plant will be making non-surgical isolation gowns.
The Lillington plant usually makes camouflage and heat resistant products for military and civilian uses.
12:55 p.m.: One of the
organizers of ReOpenNC announced plans Tuesday to continue her group's fight, despite a lower turnout at the fourth weekly protest in downtown Raleigh.
Ashley Smith, of Morganton, was arrested last week outside the Executive Mansion and charged with charged with resisting a public officer and violation of an executive order.
On Tuesday she said the group was working to become a non profit, 501(c)(3) organization to raise money for use in a possible lawsuit against the state for keeping the stay-at-home order in place.
12 p.m.: A crowd of about 200 people gathered outside the state legislative building Tuesday for the fourth week of ReOpenNC protests.
Ashley Smith, an organizer of the group which formed on Facebook, addressed the crowd and asked them not to march through downtown Raleigh this time.
Smith and three others were arrested after last week's protest.
11:40 a.m.: More than half (51.1%) of North Carolina adults are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 because they are 65 or older, have at least one underlying health condition or both, according to data analyzed by the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the state data:
- In 2018, 27 percent of people 18–24, 36 percent of people 25–49, 49 percent of people 50–64 and 56 percent of people 65 and older had at least one underlying health condition that is a risk factor for serious illness from COVID-19.
- In 2018, 45 percent of blacks and 42 percent of whites had at least one underlying health condition.
- As of May 4, 2020, 31 percent of all people with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 had at least one underlying health condition.
- As of May 4, 2020, 75 percent of all laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 deaths had at least one underlying health condition.
The most significant variance between the Chamber's plan and that of Gov. Roy Cooper is a call to allow any business -- including salons, gyms and restaurants but not bars -- to reopen so long as it can follow CDC guidelines for sanitation, social distancing and protective equipment.
9:45 a.m.: New York is now reporting 1,700 more virus-related deaths in nursing homes than previously reported in their coronavirus total, according to the AP. The state has faced scrutiny for how it is taking care of its vulnerable residents.
9:30 a.m.: Nike is donating thousands of its sneakers to healthcare workers. The company delivered 30,000 shoes nationwide. Nike said its sending its shoe the Air Zoom Pulse, a shoe designed specifically for people who are on their feet all day.
9 a.m.: Meat shortages across the countries have spread to this fast food chain: Wendy's. It had to pull burgers off its menu at some locations due to a beef shortage. Now its famous slogan, "Where's the Beef" has become more than a catchphrase. The company says it will have to change its menu at some locations temporarily.
8:30 a.m.: Two Raleigh teens launched a neckwear-mask company, CopperSAFE, that is in hot demand during the coronavirus.
Connor Clark, 16, told WRAL that he processed several hundred orders within the first 72 hours of the company's launch.
8 a.m.: ReOpenNC, the movement against Gov. Roy Cooper's stay-at-home order, is holding a press conference at 10:30 a.m. around the state legislature building. A prepared message will be delivered by
Ashley Smith, a press release said. Smith was previously arrested in downtown Raleigh last Tuesday and charged with violation of the statewide stay-at-home order and resisting a public official.
7:30 a.m.: President Trump is leaving the White House and traveling to Arizona. He will take his first flight on Air Force 1 today since early March. On his trip, he will be visiting Honeywell's N95 mask production facility. It is unclear if Trump himself will be wearing a mask on this trip.
White House officials are taking precautions to prevent Trump and Vice President Mike Pence from being exposed to the virus. Honeywell workers who meet with the president today will be first required to take a rapid point-of-care test to determine if they are carrying the virus.
7 a.m.: Deadlines for license renewals and registration renewals are extended by 5 months under one of the coronavirus relief bills Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law. The extension applies to any credential that expires on or after March 1 and before August 1.
6:45 a.m.: Gold's Gym and J. Crew have both filed for bankruptcy during the coronavirus. Last month, Gold's Gym closed 30 company-owned gyms and 700 of its gyms will stay open world-wide while the company looks to restructure. Hertz, the car rental company, is also planning to file for bankruptcy. Car rental ridership has plummeted during the pandemic. The company is talking with consultants to advise them on ways to streamline the business.
6:30 a.m.: An internal Trump administration report
obtained by the New York Times expects about 200,000 daily cases in the U.S. by June. This projection was from data collected by various agencies, including the CDC. That projection is up about 30,000 positive tests from today's daily case count.
6 a.m.: Tyson Foods will set up a mobile health clinic at its plant in Wilkes County. Tyson plans to test 200 employees for COVID-19 over the next couple of days. The health department says Wilkes County has 127 cases, and most are due to the plant.
Tyson is expecting more meat plant closures this year.
A report from CNN indicates Tyson is only keeping open 20% of their facilities. For now, the company will continue to produce less meat than usual, as fewer employees are showing up for work during the pandemic. Tyson's beef and pork sales have increased, while chicken sales have decreased. Nineteen states have coronavirus outbreaks in their meat-processing facilities, according to the CDC.
5:30 a.m.: Carolina Beach opens up some of its parking lots and metered spots as the warm weather rolls in. Carolina Beach businesses says this extra parking could mean better business for them,
according to WECT. The town is also allowing for fishing again.
5:30 a.m.: Gov. Roy Cooper will explain how phase one of his stay-at-home order will work at 5 p.m. Retail shops will be allowed to open up, but social distancing still applies. Stores will be required to take precautions in phase one, like additional cleaning and screening employees for symptoms. Parks will also be open in phase one.
Groups of 10 or more will still be restricted from gathering, however, and people are still expected to wear a face mask when social distancing is hard. Companies are still expected to have employees working from home.
5 a.m. A group of FirstHealth employees in Moore County test positive for COVID-19. Two of them have since recovered and have been cleared to go back to work. All staff entering a FirstHealth hospital or building where patient care services have to have their temperature screened before work every day.
4:30 a.m.: Another ReOpenNC rally is planned for today at 10:30 a.m. ReOpenNC is a movement against Gov. Roy Cooper's stay-at-home order. Hundreds of people plan to take part in this protest in downtown Raleigh. The group says the rally will be contained in a parking lot on West Jones Street.
