Raleigh, NC – A month ago, more than four-fifths of North Carolina’s 100 counties were considered foci of coronavirus. By Monday, that had dropped to about one in four.
The state Department of Health and Human Services released its latest iteration of the state’s county alert map on Monday, showing that only 27 counties are considered “red zones”, with critical levels of coronavirus spread. This dropped from 61 in early February and up from 86 in mid-January.
Meanwhile, 33 counties are considered “yellow zones”, the lowest level in the three-tier system, with significant viral spread, since only one a month ago. The remaining 40 counties are now considered “orange zones”, with substantial viral spread, compared to 33 in early February.
COVID-19 County Alert System
Most of the Triangle is now in the orange zone, although Lee County is still red and Chatham County is yellow. Cumberland, Hoke, Moore, Halifax, Nash and Person counties are also red zones, while Sampson, Wayne and Northampton counties are yellow.
“With North Carolinians continuing to follow the ‘three W’s’ and more than 1 million people in the state having received at least the first dose of the vaccine, we are reducing the spread and saving lives,” said DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, in a demonstration.
North Carolina surpassed 2 million vaccinations on Sunday, with 12.8 percent of state residents receiving at least one dose of the two-dose regimen. A little more than 7% are fully vaccinated.
Teachers, school officials and child caregivers will be eligible for vaccinations starting on Wednesday, although many counties still have waiting lists for health professionals and people 65 and older waiting for their vaccines.
An average of 2,917 new coronavirus infections per day across the state were reported in the last week, the lowest average since November 18.
The state also registered 1,567 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Monday, the eighth consecutive day that number was less than 2,000 and the lowest one-day total since November 18.
However, the state is close to 11,000 deaths during the pandemic, with eight others reported on Monday. The United States surpassed 500,000 virus-related deaths on Monday.