October's Second Highest Daily Coronavirus Cases Reported In VA

VIRGINIA — On Thursday, 1,429 additional coronavirus cases were reported in Virginia, bringing the cumulative total to 178,183. There have been 12,454 hospitalizations and 3,636 deaths to date, according to the Virginia Department of Health coronavirus dashboard.

The new case count is the second highest in October. The highest daily case count was 1,844 on Oct. 8, but the VDH attributed that to a backlog. That count included 689 cases that should have been reported on the previous day.

The total number of new cases per 100,000 people in the last 14 days is 178.9. The seven-day average of daily cases reported statewide is 1,154.

Tuesday's new cases include 423 in the southwest region, 375 in the northern region, 237 in the central region, 217 in the eastern region, and 177 in the northwest region. With the southwest region seeing increased cases and often leading Virginia's regions in daily cases, Gov. Ralph Northam urged residents to step up their safety precautions.

"The spread in southwest is driven in part by small family gatherings," Northam said in a Wednesday news conference. "I strongly urge everyone in the southwest to look at these numbers and step up your precautions. I ask you also to wear face protection; we know that that works."

The southwest region continues to report the highest seven-day positive average of PCR tests. The latest regional averages are 8.6 percent in the southwest region, 4.9 percent in the northern and central regions, 4.1 percent in the eastern region, and 4 percent in the northwest region.

Statewide, positive average of tests has been ranging at or around 5 percent in the last month. The latest average is 5.3 percent. There have been 2,583,805 PCR tests completed to date, an increase of 20,492 from Wednesday.

The southwest region edges the northern region for the most COVID-19 hospital patients. The regional hospitalization numbers are 272 in the southwest region, 267 patients in the northern region, 224 in the central region, 191 in the central region and 128 in the northwest region.

There are 1,082 COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized across Virginia. That includes 108 on ventilators and 249 in the intensive care units, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

Ventilator use among all hospital patients is at 27 percent, and ICU occupancy is at 82 percent. The 2019 average for ICU occupancy in Virginia was 67 percent. No hospitals are reporting difficulty obtaining personal protective equipment or other medical supplies in the next 72 hours.

Below are the latest coronavirus data updates for our coverage area from Wednesday to Thursday:

• Alexandria: 4,285 cases, 324 hospitalizations, 74 deaths; increase of 16 cases, one hospitalization removed
• Arlington County: 4,647 cases, 539 hospitalizations, 154 deaths; increase of 17 cases and one hospitalization
• Fairfax County: 23,832 cases, 2,271 hospitalizations, 605 deaths; increase of 184 cases and five hospitalizations
• Fairfax City: 160 cases, 14 hospitalizations, eight deaths; increase of one case
• Falls Church: 75 cases, 13 hospitalizations, seven deaths; no changes
• Loudoun County: 7,908 cases, 480 hospitalizations, 130 deaths; increase of 32 cases and one hospitalization
• Manassas: 2,050 cases, 132 hospitalizations, 27 deaths; increase of five cases
• Manassas Park: 653 cases, 58 hospitalizations and eight deaths; increase of five cases
• Prince William County: 14,350 cases, 1,000 hospitalizations, 223 deaths; increase of 115 cases and five hospitalizations
• Fredericksburg: 591 cases, 51 hospitalizations, six deaths; increase of three cases
• Spotsylvania County: 2,468 cases, 155 hospitalizations, 54 deaths; increase of 18 cases and one hospitalization
• Stafford County: 2,396 cases, 169 hospitalizations, 21 deaths; increase of 23 cases and one hospitalization

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• VA Governor Credits Lack Of Spread Among Staff To Mask-Wearing
• Virginia Alerts Doctors Of Potential Vaccine As Early As Nov. 1
• Halloween Precautions In Virginia As New Coronavirus Cases Double
• New Data On Community Transmission By Region Provided In Virginia
• Governor Northam, First Lady Test Positive For Coronavirus
• Virginia Coronavirus Infections Estimated With Antibody Study
• NoVA Leaders Encourage Flu Shots Amid Pandemic, Flu Double Threat
• Virginia Health Commissioner Plans To Mandate Coronavirus Vaccine