NC sets records for daily coronavirus cases, percent of tests returned positive

The post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases pushed North Carolina to records Monday in both daily diagnoses and the percentage of tests being returned positive.

Saturday marked the single highest day of the pandemic in terms of new cases, with 19,620 reported statewide.

On Monday, 27.4 percent of tests were coming back positive as people rushed to test after holiday gatherings.

While the seven-day rolling average of 13,830 new cases is also the highest of the pandemic – daily cases peaked around 8,550 in January 2021 – the number of people dying from COVID-19 is well below peaks in January and October of 2021. Statewide hospitalizations also are lower – averaging 2,365 through Sunday – than during previous case spikes when fewer people were vaccinated or boosted. 

Sixty-seven percent of North Carolinians age 12 and over are fully vaccinated.