Cases have more than doubled over two weeks, and some counties have expended all their tests.
As the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to fuel a nationwide surge, North Carolina is seeing a drastic increase in Covid-19 cases. The state has reported a 166 percent increase in infections in two weeks, according to a New York Times database, and some counties are struggling to keep up with testing demands. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported that there were 19,174 new Covid-19 cases on Friday — a record high for the second straight day. On Thursday, the department said in a statement that it was the “highest one-day number of Covid-19 cases” with 18,571, which was 60 percent higher than the previous daily record of 11,581 set in January 2021 after a holiday surge. The current jump in infections is most likely driven by the highly transmittable Omicron variant, according to local reports. True case numbers are likely to be even higher, though, since at-home tests are not reported by the state.
