RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A report by the state of North Carolina says black infants born in the state are more than twice as likely to die than white infants.

News outlets report Gov. Roy Cooper’s office released the 2018 North Carolina Infant Mortality Report on Monday. It says the state has achieved its lowest infant death rate in 31 years, but there remains a large disparity in the survival of black and white infants. Cooper says it shows the need to expand access to affordable health insurance.

For white babies, the rate has remained steady at 5 deaths for every 1,000 births. For black babies, the rate is 12.2 deaths per 1,000 births. Back in 1988, the rate for white babies was at 9.6, while black infants had a death rate of 19.8.

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