RALEIGH, N.C. (WAVY/WNCN) – North Carolina’s daily percent positive of COVID-19 tests remains at levels more than double of health officials’ target rate.

On Wednesday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported a daily percent positive of 12.5%. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, the daily percent positive needs to be around 5%.

Wednesday added 5,273 new lab-confirmed cases while marking the 11th time in 16 days through December that at least 5,000 have been reported.

COVID-19 hospitalizations continued to climb on Wednesday, adding 76 from Tuesday – making the latest numbers an all-time record of 2,811.

North Carolina has at least 5,979 deaths being attributed to the virus with a total of 451,874 cases. The 98 deaths reported from Tuesday to Wednesday set a new record, shattering the previous high of 67 deaths. The state’s daily average is about 45 deaths over the past week and will likely reach at least 6,000 total on Thursday.

More than 6.1 million tests have been completed.

Wednesday’s numbers also reflect data from Monday.

As of Monday, Dec. 14, there are about 365,273 patients presumed to have recovered from the virus.

Here are the latest coronavirus case counts from local counties:

  • Bertie 1,073 – 25 deaths
  • Camden 235 – 4 deaths
  • Chowan 733 – 19 deaths
  • Currituck 513 — 7 deaths
  • Dare 812 – 4 deaths
  • Gates 294 – 10 deaths
  • Hertford 1,169 – 42 deaths
  • Pasquotank 1,356 – 37 deaths
  • Perquimans 423 – 4 deaths

To view the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services dashboard, click here.