The most recent map shows that 27 counties are currently in red – a decrease from 61 red counties in the previous report.
This is the smallest number of red counties in the state since the County Alert System began.
“With the North Carolinians continuing to follow the 3Ws and more than a million people in the state having received at least the first dose of the vaccine, we are reducing the spread and saving lives,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, MD “We will continue upwards.”
The update also lists 40 counties in orange and 33 counties in yellow – both changes from 33 counties in orange and 6 counties in yellow on February 4.
The NCDHHS said in a press release that while North Carolina’s key metrics remain high, they are moving in a positive direction with decreasing trends in the number of COVID-19 cases reported each day, people being hospitalized with COVID- 19, people in intensive care unit and the percentage of tests that are positive.
Health officials said people in all counties should continue to limit public interactions to essential activities, avoid meeting with others outside their homes and continue to adhere to 3Ws.
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Red and orange counties need to do even more to slow the spread of COVID-19 in their communities; it is highly recommended that these counties go further and build on the current requirements outlined in the County Alert System.
The COVID-19 County Alert System uses COVID-19 case rates, the percentage of positive tests and the impact of the hospital in the county to categorize counties into the following layers:
Yellow: significant spread of the community
Orange: substantial spread of the community
Red: critical spread of the community
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