CHARLOTTE, N.C. — COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Carolina have been climbing since the beginning of the year, and health officials reported a new record Tuesday.
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, 5,055 people are currently hospitalized in the state due to the virus. That’s the first time since the start of the pandemic that hospitalizations have topped 5,000 people.
There are also 801 adult ICU COVID-19 patients in North Carolina right now, which is the third time more than 800 patients were in the ICU in a week.
Hospitals across the country and state are buckling under the strain of caring for so many patients, said Dr. David Weber, associate chief medical officer at UNC Health.
“This is a marathon, not a sprint,” Weber said. “Many of our staff are working extra hours, very stressed by patient backups and difficulty of moving patients into the hospital.”
Just last week, state health officials requested federal assistance for the Charlotte region due to record COVID-19 hospitalizations.
“We continue to monitor hospital capacity and staffing needs and have requested resources, including additional nurses from FEMA,” Gov. Roy Cooper said Friday.
NCDHHS reported 13,017 new positive cases, with the percentage of positive tests at 36.4%.
According to officials, 70% of the adult population in the state has been fully vaccinated..
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