Updated December 23, 2020 4:33 p.m. EST By Kirsten Gutierrez, WRAL reporter Raleigh, N.C. — Hospitals across North Carolina are nearing capacity due to an increase in coronavirus patients. The state has topped 3,000 people hospitalized with the virus twice this week, including Wednesday's record of 3,043. Also, a record 696 of those patients were in intensive care on Wednesday. Seventy-six percent of North Carolina's hospital beds are full, as are 83 percent of ICU beds. The state has averaged a record 2,881 COVID-19 patients per day over the last week. North Carolina also has averaged a record 6,091 new infections per day over the last week, including 5,609 cases added Wednesday.