RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The number of COVID-19 deaths in North Carolina continues to climb as state heath officials announced nine more on Wednesday.

The total number of deaths now sits at 117.

Wednesday’s numbers follows what was North Carolina’s deadliest day with 22 deaths announced on Tuesday.

Hospitalizations are up to its highest number – 431. The number of hospitalizations had been trending down since April 10 until Tuesday, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Overall, North Carolina has 5,123 known positive cases across 93 counties.

Of those, 38 percent are ages 25-49 and 7 percent are 18-24.

NCDHHS reports at least 1 percent of patients are under the age of 17.

No one under the age of 25 has died in connection with the virus.

Gov. Roy Cooper is slated to speak at 4 p.m. on the state’s response to the pandemic.

CBS 17 will carry his comments live on TV and cbs17.com.