CHARLOTTE, N.C. — COVID-19 hospitalizations in North Carolina are now on the threshold of setting a new pandemic high that was established nearly one year ago.
The Department of Health and Human Services reported 3,991 hospitalizations due to COVID-19 Tuesday, just one short of the all-time record that was set on Jan. 13, 2021.
To give that number some context, and perhaps a silver lining, the severity of those hospitalizations is down from previous COVID-19 surges. The number of peak ventilated patients (a measure of disease severity) is about 85% of last winter's surge and 62% of peak ventilators during the delta variant surge over this past summer, according to analysis from WCNC Charlotte's Vanessa Ruffes.
North Carolina health officials reported 17,705 new cases Tuesday with 30.5% of tests coming back positive. As of Tuesday, North Carolina has reported 19,706 deaths due to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, the state is also dealing with a critical shortage of monoclonal antibody medicine. The federal government hasn't been able to keep up with soaring demand nationwide, leading to patients not receiving the care necessary to recover.
“I can tell you as a health care provider and a leader, the concern is as high or higher than it’s ever been,” Dr. Brent McQuaid with Cone Health in Greensboro said.
A spokesperson for NC DHHS told WFMY News the state has received 978 patient courses of the drug that were distributed to providers statewide.
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