NC's coronavirus hospitalizations soar past 1,700

Of the 1,724 people hospitalized with COVID-19, nearly a quarter are in intensive care. Twenty-two percent of all ICU patients statewide have tested positive for the virus.

Coronavirus patients account for 10 percent of all hospital patients in North Carolina. Hospitals are about 76 percent full, while four of every five ICU beds are filled.

The numbers have prompted most major hospital systems in North Carolina to band together to urge people to follow safety guidance issued by state and federal public health experts to limit the spread of the virus.

"The COVID-19 pandemic is killing thousands of people each day and sickening millions more around the world. It’s a global problem with a huge, local impact. Yet many people are choosing not to take the threat seriously and, in doing so, are endangering not only their own lives but also the lives of our neighbors and families," the leaders of 20 hospital systems, including Duke University Health, WakeMed, FirstHealth of the Carolinas and Novant Health, said in a statement issued Tuesday.

North Carolina Coronavirus dashboard - Maps, charts and data

"We see the number of cases rising every day. We see the potential for large spikes in cases which will overwhelm some hospitals. We see people dying and wonder how many of them could have lived if more people made different choices about closely following public health guidance," the statement continues.

The hospital officials recommended that people keep Thanksgiving celebrations small and hold them outside, if possible, for extra distancing. They also urged people to avoid shopping crowds on Black Friday and "always wear a mask," except when eating.

"We recognize masks are uncomfortable, and it’s both frustrating and disappointing not to celebrate this year’s holidays with traditional large gatherings," the letter states. "We must decrease the spread of this virus, and in doing so save lives – lives of real North Carolinians who will get to celebrate many more holidays to come."

North Carolina also reported another 3,100 coronavirus cases statewide on Tuesday, marking the sixth day over the past week where the figure topped 3,000. The seven-day average of 3,543 cases per day is just off the record set Monday.

More than 5,000 North Carolinians have died during the pandemic, including 35 reported Tuesday.