UNC Health reports rise in ER cases last few weeks: 'COVID has gone up'

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Chanda Lewis has been dealing with a persistent cough these last few weeks and is planning to soon test for COVID.

"I just finished being sick (beginning of) September and now I'm back at it again with the crackling cough," she said. "I'm taking Sudafed right now and drinking tea, (using) Halls. I don't know what's going on."

UNC Health Infectious Disease expert Dr. David Wohl said common cold cases are ticking up, and we're starting to see flu season emerge, but COVID cases have really surged in the last three to four weeks

"The proportion of people coming into the Emergency Room with COVID has gone up," said Wohl. "This hasn't gone away. When we look at data from the CDC, from our federal government, about one out of every 100 people dying in our country right now dies from COVID-19."

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He's worried fewer people are getting vaccinated in the country, and it's leading to more spread.

"Who gets really sick from COVID-19 (is) really old people, 75 and above, and also babies. It's the bookends of life. That's where we see the vulnerability," said Wohl.

Gerald Bunch still wears a mask and gloves whenever he leaves home. He's never had COVID and is trying to stay healthy at his age.

"It's killing people, and I'm older than some people are," said Bunch. "I'm trying to stay out here a little longer."

The symptoms of COVID, flu, or the common cold can be similar.

To help decipher what you might have, Wohl recommends using a combined at-home test that can check for a couple of viruses.