The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is reporting a record high number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19 complications with 915 across the state. This is the first time the number of hospitalizations has passed 900 and the number is up 45 from Monday.
The state reports that there are 4,501 inpatient beds and 560 ICU beds still available with 91 percent of hospitals reporting.
1,251 people have died from coronavirus since the start of the pandemic in North Carolina. The state reported 28 more deaths on Tuesday.
New cases remained below 1,000 on Tuesday with 848 reported.
The state completed 15,336 tests in the last 24 hours. The percent positive remains around 10 percent -- which is among the highest in the nation.
Dr. Mandy Cohen during a news conference on Monday reiterated what she's been saying for the last week -- that the state's metrics are not going in the right direction.
She said that emergency room visits for COVID-19-like illness have been going up, cases continue to climb, the percent positive of tests remains high and hospitalization are at their highest levels of the pandemic.
North Carolina's health chief says the state's COVID-19 case trends have worsened since the economy has reopened in recent weeks.
But Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen wouldn't say on Monday whether they would prevent more shuttered businesses from reopening when Gov. Roy Cooper's executive order expires this week.
The number of virus-related hospitalizations remains near a record high for the pandemic, and the number of deaths has exceeded 1,200. The state prison system says about 60 offenders held in Stanly County have tested positive. And state courts will extend a prohibition on jury trials through at least the end of July.
Here's more from our news partner WTVD ABC11: