Good morning. It’s Wednesday, October 14th. This is your briefing from Moneen Daley for The News & Observer. Today will be sunny, with a high of 74 and a low of 49. In our top story: COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations are increasing in North Carolina. And yesterday, the state’s top health official pushed for renewed efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Overall, COVID-19 hospitalizations have topped more than 1,000 patients since October 6th.