The latest map shows that there are currently 27 counties in red, a decrease from the 61 red counties in the previous report.
This is the lowest number of red counties in the state since the inception of the county alert system.
“With North Carolinaers following the 3W and more than a million people in the state who have received at least a first dose of vaccine, we are slowing the spread and saving lives,” the NCDHHS secretary said. , Mandy K. Cohen, MD. “
The update also lists 40 orange counties and 33 yellow counties, both changes from 33 orange counties and 6 yellow counties on February 4th.
NCDHHS said in a press release that while North Carolina’s key metrics remain high, they are moving in a positive direction with declining trends in the number of COVID-19 cases reported each day, people hospitalized with COVID-19, people in intensive care unit and the percentage of positive tests.
Health officials said people in all counties should continue to limit public interactions to essential activities, avoid meeting other people outside their home, and continue to adhere to the 3W.
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The red and orange counties need to do even more to curb the spread of COVID-19 in their communities; it is recommended that these counties go further and be based on the current requirements described in the county alert system.
The COVID-19 County Alert System uses COVID-19 case rates, positive test percentage, and county hospital impact to rank counties at the following levels:
Yellow: important community outreach
Orange: important diffusion of the community
Red: diffusion of the critical community
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