COVID-19 positives in New Hanover County surpass 1,000
Posted June 30, 2020 at 5:12 pm Category: Emergency Management • Emergency News • News Release • Public Health
NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC – New Hanover County Public Health is reporting 1,018 total positive cases of COVID-19 as of 4 p.m. today, June 30. This is a cumulative number of positive cases since March 18 when the county’s first confirmed positive case was identified.
Of the 1,018 lab confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Hanover County, around 163 individuals have recovered and five people have died from the virus.
“We have seen some of our highest rates of increase over the past two weeks,” said Public Health Preparedness Coordinator Lisa Brown. “While an increase in testing availability can be attributed to finding more cases already out there, the rise in cases is also due to the increased activity in the community, people traveling from other areas of the state and country, and social gatherings taking place more often than before. Knowing this, we encourage everyone, when out in public, to take extra precautions and act as if you could be pre-symptomatic and have the virus, so your actions protect those around you. That means wearing a mask, keeping your distance, and disinfecting your hands and other surfaces regularly.”
A majority of the county’s positive cases are within the ages of 0 and 49, making up 77% of total positive cases.
“This increase of cases among younger people, under the age of 50, in our community shows that the virus can impact any of us – no matter our age or health condition,” said Public Health Assistant Director Carla Turner. “COVID-19 does have a more severe impact on those who are older and have health risks, but the bottom line is that no one is immune, and younger people can easily spread the virus to those at risk if they don’t know they have it.”
The daily count of newly identified COVID-19 cases over the past month are included below. Additional demographics and a graph of all new cases since March 18 can be viewed here.
| Date | Daily Case Count |
| 30-May | 8 |
| 31-May | 2 |
| 1-Jun | 4 |
| 2-Jun | 6 |
| 3-Jun | 12 |
| 4-Jun | 17 |
| 5-Jun | 19 |
| 6-Jun | 6 |
| 7-Jun | 2 |
| 8-Jun | 10 |
| 9-Jun | 7 |
| 10-Jun | 18 |
| 11-Jun | 15 |
| 12-Jun | 32 |
| 13-Jun | 18 |
| 14-Jun | 10 |
| 15-Jun | 35 |
| 16-Jun | 15 |
| 17-Jun | 19 |
| 18-Jun | 27 |
| 19-Jun | 53 |
| 20-Jun | 37 |
| 21-Jun | 21 |
| 22-Jun | 30 |
| 23-Jun | 43 |
| 24-Jun | 57 |
| 25-Jun | 54 |
| 26-Jun | 45 |
| 27-Jun | 37 |
| 28-Jun | 46 |
| 29-Jun | 71 |
| 30-Jun | 47* |
*Today’s case count is reflective of the number of new cases reported as of 4 p.m.
COVID-19 Hospitalizations
Last Friday, New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC) began sharing weekly statistics about the healthcare system including the total number of patients that have been hospitalized, discharged and who have died from COVID-19, in addition to the average number of patients hospitalized per week. These numbers, which can be viewed here, reflect the seven-county region served by the hospital, and are not solely New Hanover County residents.
The county has had five deaths from COVID-19, but there have been 24 people who have died from around our region at the hospital since this first began impacting our community.
“A big focus for Public Health is to do all we can to prevent our healthcare system from becoming overburdened,” said Brown. “The number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalized patients is increasing, and if we continue on the current trends, the ability of the healthcare system to adequately and successfully treat our community could be challenged. That’s why we have to each do our part to limit that from happening.”
Keep up with your healthcare
Residents are urged to stay up-to-date with ongoing healthcare needs, annual exams and needed treatments. Foregoing medical treatment because of COVID-19 may result in long-term health issues or needed emergency intervention. Call your doctor’s office to learn about precautions being taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to reschedule appointments you may have missed. For more on how healthcare providers are serving patients, visit NCDHHS.gov.
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As of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2020, there have been 1,018 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Hanover County. For more information about COVID-19 in New Hanover County, visit Health.NHCgov.com, call our Public Health Coronavirus Call Center at 910-798-6800, and follow the county’s trusted social media pages: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor.