Area doctors cautiously optimistic about declining COVID-19 case numbers

There have been more than 2.5 million COVID-19 cases in North Carolina. On Wednesday, 10,513 cases were added — more than double the number added on Tuesday.

But Dr. David Wohl, an infectious disease specialist at UNC Health, said now is the time to be even more vigilant with restrictions and precautions. Wohl added that North Carolina has the chance to reach a record-low number of cases in the next few months.

But, it wasn't long ago that state health leaders sounded the alarm over omicron's surge in North Carolina.

"The state could see 10,000 new cases a day at it's peak," said former state Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen.

Now, data shows North Carolina now has three times the number of new cases compared to the rolling average back on Dec. 20, when Cohen sounded that alarm on omicron.

Yet, as North Carolina crosses the 10,000 mark, school districts have started to ease restrictions by making masks optional for the first time in months.

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"If we start to open up back to where we were [with] bars, restaurants, then we'll see the surge perpetuated and widen," said Wohl.

Wohl said the state is seeing a downward trend of the omicron surge, which should mean the beginning of a decrease in hospitalizations.

"That's really, really key," said Wohl. "Once hospitalizations start to drop, we start to see deaths go down again."

From health care workers to college students — everyone has felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As a college student, it's definitely tough learning online but if it means people are being safe, then it's what we have to do," said Chris McDonagh.

Wohl said while there are many reasons for the decrease in cases, including the virus running its course and more people being immune, now is not the time for people to let their guard down.

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also standing firm in its recommendation that people wear mask indoors, despite several states, including New York and California, rolling back restrictions.

"Our death rates are still high, so as we work towards that, we are encourage by the current trends [but] we are not there yet," said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.

While 10,000 cases were added on Wednesday, it's still 15 percent lower than the number of new cases added last week.

Wohl said right now, the only thing that can really bring up COVID-19 case numbers is a new sub-variant.