Frightening headlines on COVID-19 in North Carolina are easiest to write when the data pass a noteworthy numerical threshold. Yesterday, for example, saw the following:

  • 1,268 new cases on 29,024 tests — the lowest number of new cases announced on a day since June 30
  • Only 4.4% of tests returned positive — the lowest proportion of tests returning positive announced on a single day since June 9
  • Hospitalizations down some, to 1,086
  • 8 new deaths

None of those numbers are particularly useful for keeping the populace sufficiently alarmed.* Fortunately, a data milestone was also reached on this otherwise less-than-discouraging day:

  • Over 100,000 total known cases (the count is up to 101,046)

Granted, that is total cases not counting recoveries:

  • 78,707 total recoveries — meaning there are 20,697 known active cases
  • Recoveries account for 78 percent of NC’s known COVID-19 cases
  • There are nearly four times as many recoveries as there are active cases

So what was reported?

Wondering out loud

In two weeks, which is when recoveries should also surpass 100,000, will our media showcase that fact?

* By the way, I’m told even making this kind of observation is “risky.”