NHC reports no increase in deaths from COVID-19 during the past week More than 200,000 flags were planted in Washington in November to represent the number of people killed by COVID-19 in the US - a number that has since surpassed half a million (Source: Cronkite News) By WECT Staff | March 31, 2021 at 5:45 PM EDT - Updated March 31 at 5:45 PM NEW HANOVER, N.C. (WECT) - New Hanover County reported no additional deaths from COVID-19 over the past week despite 415 new cases being reported. To date, 17,772 people have tested positive for the virus in NHC and 163 people have died. No increase in the number of deaths from COVID-19 over the past week marks the first seven-day period since October 23, 2020, that no additional deaths from the virus were reported of county residents.