Viral spread: Americans paying the price for Thanksgiving

December 11, 2020

Associated Press,

NORTH CAROLINA (AP/WWAY) — Some Americans are now falling sick with COVID-19 after celebrating Thanksgiving with people outside their households. Health officials are warning people not to make the same mistake during this month’s celebrations.

The coronavirus was already raging across the nation before Thanksgiving. It has picked up steam since, with new cases regularly climbing past 200,000 a day.

Contact tracers and emergency room doctors are hearing repeatedly from new coronavirus patients that they socialized during the Thanksgiving holiday with people outside their households.

The next round of festivities could yield even more cases.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on Friday reported a single-day increase of more than 7,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time.

7,540 new cases were reported on Friday.

In an emailed statement, Health Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen said the state is now seeing the impacts of Thanksgiving gatherings.

Having more than 7,500 cases is staggering and alarming,” Cohen said. “We are now seeing the impact of Thanksgiving gatherings. Do not wait until it is you or your loved one sick or alone in the hospital or you are facing the loss of a loved one to wear a mask, wait 6 feet apart, and wash your hands often. Act now. Please ask yourself what you can do to help slow the spread of this virus and save lives.”

2,514 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state. Hospitalizations have hit a new record every day this week.

303 new confirmed COVID-19 patients were admitted in the last 24 hours and 346 suspected patients were admitted in that same time frame.

40% of the new cases in North Carolina over the last week have been in people ages 25 to 49. The percent positive rate is currently at 10.4%, well above the state’s goal of 5%.