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As North Carolina sees a decline in key COVID-19 metrics, China and other countries in the Pacific are dealing with virus outbreaks right now. 



Health experts say the rise in infections could be the spread of the omicron subvariant ‘BA.2’ The rise in cases across the world comes as students at Triangle universities spend time at home or travel to destinations for spring break,

"I'm itching to take my family to Miami ... Right now, we're comfortable with [COVID-19.] You just don't know," said Shimesa King, who lives in Raleigh.

China and other countries in the Pacific are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks right now, and cases are rising in Europe. Infectious disease expert David Wohl from UNC helps explain what that could mean for us. 



BE OPENING OPENING THE DOOR NOW FOR A SECOND SHOT AND IT COULD COME JUST IN TIME. CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE PACIFIC ARE DEALING WITH A COVID-19 OUTBREAK RIGHT NOW AND CASES ARE RISING IN EUROPE HERE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT COULD MEAN FOR US IS INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT DOCTOR DAVID WALL FROM UNC DOCTOR. WELL, AND MOST OF US HAVE EXCEPTED NOW. THE VIRUS WILL ALWAYS BE AROUND IN SOME FORM OR ANOTHER. BUT PLAIN AND SIMPLE. IS THIS A SIGN OF ANOTHER MAJOR WAVE OF COVID HITTING THE U.S. IN THE WEEKS AND MONTHS TO COME. >> HOPEFULLY NOT. AND IT'S HARD TO MAKE PREDICTIONS. I CAN TELL YOU THAT I THINK MOST OF US ARE JUST HOPEFUL THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN EUROPE WON'T EXACTLY PLAY OUT HERE. BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON, ESPECIALLY IN EUROPE, WHICH IS MUCH MORE LIKE US THAN WHAT'S GOING ON IN ASIA AND WHAT THEY'VE SEEN IS A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPTICK, PROBABLY BE COST BA 2, WHICH IS THAT SUBSET OF OMICRON HAS TAKEN OVER AT THE SAME TIME THAT THEY'VE RELAXED THEIR MITIGATION STRATEGIES. THEIR MASK, TOO. THEIR NEW BUSINESS MITIGATION STRATEGY. SOME PEOPLE ARE CONGREGATING WORK. I THINK YOU PUT THE 2, 2, TOGETHER AND WE'RE SEEING THIS UPTICK. >> SO MAYBE IT'S AN UPTICK IN NOT A WAVE WITH THAT WILL BE RIGHT. LIKE YOU SAID, WE HOPE FOR THAT. >> THE CDC'S WASTEWATER REPORT. THIS IS ALSO INTERESTING. IT SHOWS SIGNS CASES COULD BE STARTING TO TICK UP HERE IN THE U.S. IF IT TRACKS COVID IN THE WATER THAT LEE'S OUR HOMES, IT CAN KIND OF TELL WHAT'S IN THERE WITHOUT PEOPLE ACTUALLY REPORTING IN THE LATEST REPORT, IT'S A 50 DAY REPORTS 7 SITES IN NORTH CAROLINA HAVE SEEN LEVELS INCREASE. YOU CAN SEE ONE HERE. WE'RE SHOWING A MAP WHERE YOU CAN SEE IN WESTERN WAKE COUNTY IN RED THERE. THAT ONE IS EVEN SHOWING 10 TIMES THE AMOUNT OF COVID IN THE WATER NOW, DOES THAT CONCERN YOU, DOCTOR WALL OR SHOULD WE EXPECT THESE KINDS OF FLUCTUATIONS HERE AS WELL? >> YEAH, THERE'S A REASON WHY WE DO THIS KIND OF MONITORING ONE REASON, OF COURSE, IS MORE AND MORE OF US ARE TESTING AT HOME. SO WE DON'T EVEN KNOW THE CASES THAT ARE BEING DIAGNOSED, CHRIS, THEY'RE NOT REPORTED. THIS IS ANOTHER WAY TO KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF IT AND ALSO AN EARLY WARNING SYSTEM SO THAT WHEN WE DO SEE INCREASES, WE CAN UNDERSTAND THEM BETTER. BUT IT'S IMPERFECT. IT IS A SMOKE ALARM. AND THEN WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT IS A REAL SMOKE FROM A FIRE OR NOT. BUT YES, THERE IS MORE VIRUS CIRCULATING AS WE PULL BACK AS WE UNMASK AS WE HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL WHO ARE UNMASKED AS WE DO THINGS MORE NORMALLY LIKE WE USED TO. THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE VIRUS TO SPREAD. I'M HOPING THAT DOESN'T TAKE OFF, BUT IT'S NOT TO UNEXPECTED THAT STILL WE HAVE VIRUS PRESIDENT AND WE'RE RELAXING THE MEASURES THAT KEPT US FROM GETTING INFECTED, THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME CASES GO UP. >> AND THAT LEADS TO THE VACCINE CONVERSATION. AND LET'S GO BACK TO THIS BOOSTER TALK THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT WHEN A 4TH BOOSTER MIGHT BE NECESSARY. WHY NOW AND DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WOULD BE BETTER WAITING UNTIL THE LATE SUMMER, PERHAPS THE FALL TO GET THEIR NEXT BOOSTER? >> YES, LET'S BE CLEAR. SO WE KNOW THAT THE VACCINES THAT WE'VE GOTTEN SINCE WE'VE TAKEN 3 SHOTS LIKE I HAVE, I'M PRETTY WELL PROTECTED AGAINST GETTING REALLY SICK WITH COVID-19. EVEN IF I WAS GETTING INFECTED. NOW, 6 MONTHS AFTER MY LAST BOOSTER WELL PROTECTED, IT'S AGAINST INFECTION. WHERE WE START TO SEE INCREMENTAL DECREASES OVER TIME. SO IF WE WANT TO TOP THAT UP, WE SHOULD GET ANOTHER DOSE BECAUSE WE KNOW FROM OMICRON MANY PEOPLE GOT OMICRON DIDN'T GET VERY SICK, BUT THEY GOT OMICRON EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE FULLY VACCINATED, INCLUDING WITH THE BOOSTER. THIS PROTECTS US FROM GETTING INFECTED AGAIN. MOST OF US ARE REALLY PROTECTED AGAINST GETTING REALLY SICK WITH COVID-19. I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO GET A BOOSTER THAT TIMING IS EVERYTHING LIKE YOU SAID, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN AN EXPERIENCE GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE WANT TO DO IT BEFORE THE NEXT PERIOD OR BEFORE THE NEXT SEARCH SOMETIME WITHIN THE NEXT 2 TO 3 MONTHS. I EXPECT LOTS OF LOU CITY WHO SHOULD GET A 4TH DOSE. >> KIND OF LIKE THE FLU SHOT. WE JUST GET USED TO GETTING ONE EVERY SINGLE YEAR, TOO. SO I THINK PEOPLE ARE USED TO THAT. DOCTOR, DAVID WALL WITH UNC, THANK YOU AS ALWAYS, FOR YOUR

Maggie Brown

Is another wave of COVID coming? UNC expert explains. 

But, some health officials said they're concerned as European countries see record increases in COVID-19 cases and China faces its worst outbreak since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Currently, China does not have access to the mRNA vaccines like the United States, which have proved effective against the omicron variant.

With eased restrictions in North Carolina, infectious disease specialist Dr. David Wohl anticipates the United States could follow suit.

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"I'm hoping it doesn't take off but it's not too unexpected that we have virus present and we're relaxing measures that kept us from getting infected that we're going to see some cases go up," said Wohl.

High school student Anna Ruth said she's being mindful of where she spends her spring break next month.

"I definitely would avoid going to Florida, or any of the hotspots, for spring break because I know that is going to put me at considerable risk," she said.

The Triangle-area's coronavirus numbers have shown marked improvement in recent weeks, with now only 229 COVID patients in the Triangle's three main hospital systems, of which 37 are in the ICU. 


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Others said they’ll continue to watch trends closely but won’t let the pandemic put a damper on their travel plans.

"We're going to do our part ... people need to do theirs," said Nicky Hicks.

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COVID-19 cases are increasing in parts of the world. Could spring break travel make it worse?

Health experts worry another COVID-19 spike is looming as travel picks up 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.

Iran's president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast

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A dozen abandoned and derelict boats are finally being cleaned up from coastal waters in our state.

Hundreds of abandoned, storm-ravaged boats float along the NC coast

A dozen abandoned boats pulled from the NC coastal waters

WILLIAMSTON, N.C. (AP) — Weeds have punctured through the vacant parking lot of Martin General Hospital’s emergency room. A makeshift blue tarp covering the hospital’s sign is worn down from flapping in the wind. The hospital doors are locked, many in this county of 22,000 fear permanently.

After the only hospital in town closed, a North Carolina city directs its ire at politicians

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We'll have a calm start to the week, but we could see showers and storms return to kick off Memorial Day weekend.


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In 2024, there have already been 30 reported sewer overflows in Wake County, totaling more than 336,000 gallons of raw sewage spilling into the environment.

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Get the latest WRAL WeatherCenter Forecast whenever you need it, including the DUALDoppler5000 and the 7-Day Forecast.

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Nightly N.C. Education Lottery drawings during the 11 p.m. News.

Evening Pick 3 Pick 4 and Cash 5

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 drawings are held at 3 p.m. daily. They can be seen as live or on-demand video.

Daytime Pick 3 and Pick 4 Drawing

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Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour is staying in Raleigh. The Canes legend agreed to a contract extension with the team. The details of the extension are currently unknown.

Here to stay: Canes sign Brind'Amour to multi-year extension

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An eight-run seventh inning propelled 10th-seeded Duke to its third straight NCAA Super Regional after defeating South Carolina, 10-1, on Sunday at Duke Softball Stadium.

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"Thereʼs a lot of women behind the scenes. You can do anything you want to do in this industry,ˮ says Jordan Leatherman, the director of diversity and Inclusion at NASCAR.

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Xander Schauffele has won his first major with a thrilling win at the PGA Championship. Schauffele made a 6-foot birdie putt on the last hole at Valhalla for a one-shot victory over Bryson DeChambeau. 

Schauffele wins first major at PGA Championship in a thriller at Valhalla

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Fans can now register for a chance to buy tickets for the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club.

COVID-19 cases are increasing in parts of the world. Could spring break travel make it worse?

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Some health experts worry COVID-19 cases could increase as people travel for spring break