COVID vaccine live updates: Here's what to know in North Carolina on April 18 Bailey Aldridge, The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) Apr. 18—We're tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in North Carolina. Check back for updates. Case count surpasses 943,000 At least 943,693 people in North Carolina have tested positive for the coronavirus and 12,387 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported 2,475 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, up from 2,434 the day before. Twenty-eight additional coronavirus-related deaths were reported Friday. Deaths don't all occur on the day the state reports them. The state health department revises its daily figures as information becomes available.