>> THIS IS WRAL NEWS. YOUR NUMBER ONE SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS. >> AND THE LAST DAYS WE HAVE LEARNED THAT MORE THAN 8000 NEW KAREN ROSE CASES. FRIDAY 100 PEOPLE WERE DIAGNOSED ON THANKSGIVING DAY ALONE. AND THE LAST 48 HOURS THERE HAS BEEN 72 DEATHS REPORTED PUSHING NORTH CAROLINA ABOVE 5200 FOR THE PANDEMIC. 1800 ARE IN THE HOSPITAL. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. I AM GERALD OWENS. >> AND I AM KATHRYN BROWN. PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS SPENT THIS THANKSGIVING IN THE HOSPITAL WITHOUT FAMILY MEMBERS. WRAL'S ADAM OWENS JOINS US LIVE WITH HEALTHCARE WORKERS STORIES. ADAM? >> Reporter: KATHRYN, THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO WERE NOT WITH THE FAMILY MEMBERS ON THANKSGIVING BECAUSE THEY WORK IN THE HOSPITAL. I SPOKE WITH A NURSE WHO WORKS AT THE HOSPITAL BEHIND ME AND HE SHARES HIS STORY IN HOPES THAT WE WILL TAKE PRECAUTIONS AND NOT BE THE NEXT PATIENT TO MISS THE NEXT HOLIDAY. >> EMOTIONALLY IT IS CHALLENGING TO LOSE ANY PATIENT AND TO SEE THE NUMBER OF LOSSES THAT OCCUR IS CHALLENGING. >> Reporter: EVEN FOR CHRIS BARNES HAS BEEN A NURSE FOR 26 YEARS AND HAS SEEN THE PATIENT'S COME TO WAKEMED IN CARY. PATIENTS WERE IN THE HOSPITAL FIGHTING THE VIRUS. THEY ARE CONNECTED BY TUBES TO VENTILATORS AND THEY ARE AWAY FROM THEIR LOVED ONES. >> THERE IS THAT ISOLATION THAT OCCURS SO THEY ARE SUFFERING FROM PHYSICAL ILLNESS AND ALSO HAVING THE MENTAL CHALLENGES TO BE ISOLATED. >> Reporter: NURSES DO WHAT THEY CAN TO MAKE IT EASIER BUT THIS IS A WARNING. PEOPLE WHO DO NOT TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS COULD FIND THEMSELVES IN THE HOSPITAL AND THIS IS WHY BARNES FINDS IT IMPORTANT TO SHARE WHAT HE IS SAYING. >> I BELIEVE WE WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN NUMBERS AND IT IS GOING TO BE CHALLENGING . >> Reporter: AT THE MOMENT WAKEMED OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE AT 85% OF WHAT THEY WERE OVER THE SUMMER AND AT THE MOMENT THEY DO HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE PATIENTS. WE COULD SEE ANOTHER SPIKE FROM GATHERINGS THAT TOOK PLACE ON