North Triangle News

Gov. Roy Cooper is asking that North Carolina residents remain vigilant after he extended the state's stay-at-home order until Friday and COVID-19 cases continue to climb. 

Nationwide, governors have faced pushback for stay-at-home orders from groups demanding it is time to reopen local economies. 

"North Carolinians have made tremendous sacrifices and it is making a difference," Cooper said in a joint news release the state's Health and Human Services Director Mandy Cohen. “We remain hopeful that the trends will be stable enough to move into Phase 1 next week.”

Over the weekend, the state's Department of Health and Human Services reported 11,664 positive cases of the coronavirus, a jump of 741 cases since May 1. The department also reported that 422 had died from COVID-19 in North Carolina, 475 remain hospitalized and that the coronavirus had reached 99 counties.

Saturday's spike of 586 new cases marked the largest single-day jump since the state started keeping track of the virus.

Phase 1 of the state's three-phase plan to reopen the North Carolina later this week would include a modified stay-at-home order, allowing parks and some businesses to reopen with social distancing guidelines and gatherings of up to ten people.

The governor's stay-at-home order, which Cooper on April 23 extended to Friday, May 8, remains in place, Cooper said in the joint news release.

"We need everyone to continue following the stay-at-home order right now so that we can move to the next phases of easing restrictions," Cooper said in the news release. "Complacency could risk lives and undo these plans."

In addition to his extended stay-at-home order, Cooper also announced in April that remote learning in the state's K-12 public schools would continue through the end of the 2019-20 school year.

Shortly after Cooper announced keeping the state's public schools closed, The News & Observer published comments from school officials in Wake, Durham, Johnston and Orange, who largely voiced support.

"We can continue to engage students for as long as needed," Wake Superintendent Cathy Moore said, according to the report. "It has been admittedly a massive undertaking for everyone. But I also think it’s fair to say that the effort has been a qualified success."

On Saturday, Cooper applauded state Legislature's unanimous of two COVID-19 relief bills that would spend more than $1.5 billion in federal stimulus funds to fight the coronavirus in North Carolina.

"These bills were developed collaboratively, and although it’s just a first step, they are the product of a consensus approach that I hope can continue," Cooper said in a statement issued Saturday. "I will be reviewing them closely and look forward to taking action on them soon."