Coronavirus Case Average Down, Hospitalizations Up In Virginia

VIRGINIA — With the winter holidays upon us, the seven-day average of new coronavirus cases no longer increasing in Virginia. However, the average of current hospitalizations remains on the rise.

On Sunday, 3,876 new cases were reported by the Virginia Department of Health. The latest seven-day average of daily cases is 3,563, down from a peak of 3,920 on Dec. 12. Northern Virginia's seven-day average is 883, down from a peak 1,124 on Dec. 12.

Sunday's new cases by region include 1,203 in the northern region, 847 in the eastern region, 724 in the southwest region, 577 in the central region and 525 in the northwest region.

The last week brought the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to Virginia and other states for the first people to be vaccinated. The first shipments went to 18 hospitals across the state, with 72,125 doses being dispersed to frontline healthcare workers. On Friday, the FDA also granted emergency use authorization to Moderna's vaccine, clearing the way for it to be distributed to states.

Based on information from Operation Warp Speed, Virginia Department of Health was expecting to receive 480,000 doses of vaccine from two manufacturers, Pfizer and Moderna, in December. But on Thursday the state received updated estimates, indicating it would receive 370,650 doses instead this month, according to a VDH news release.

Hospitals continue to face increasing current patients, although capacity remains sufficient. There are 2,405 current COVID-19 patients, and the seven-day average of 2,368.3 is the highest so far. The current patients include 517 in the intensive care units and 272 on ventilators. The breakdown of patients by region is 577 in the northern region, 538 in the eastern region, 454 in the southwest region, 449 in the central region and 387 in the northwest region.

According to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, ventilator use among all hospital patients is at 33 percent capacity, with 982 of the 3,015 available in use. ICU occupancy is at 80 percent, while the 2019 ICU occupancy average was 67 percent. There have been no hospitals reporting difficulty obtaining personal protective equipment within 72 hours since Sept. 18.

As of Dec. 17, the state's seven-day average of positive PCR tests is 11.3 percent. It's been in that 11 percent range for most of December. The seven-day average of daily testing encounters is 27,583. The last time the positive average had been in the 11 percent range, May 27 to 29, the daily testing encounters average was near or around 10,000.

Positive averages by region are 14.8 percent in the southwest region, 12.4 percent in the eastern region, 11.2 percent in the northern region, 10.4 percent in the northwest region, and 9.4 percent in the central region.

There were seven new deaths reported on Sunday, and the seven-day average of new daily death reports is 34. Cumulative numbers in Virginia stand at 306,848 cases, 16,878 hospitalizations and 4,650 deaths.

Below are the latest coronavirus data updates for our coverage area from Saturday to Sunday.

• Alexandria: 6,660 cases, 413 hospitalizations, 83 deaths; increase of 127 cases, two hospitalizations and one death
• Arlington County: 7,975 cases, 634 hospitalizations, 168 deaths; increase of 154 cases and one hospitalization
• Fairfax County: 39,224 cases, 2,771 hospitalizations, 654 deaths; increase of 486 cases, five hospitalizations and one death
• Fairfax City: 266 cases, 24 hospitalizations, 10 deaths; increase of two cases
• Falls Church: 147 cases, 16 hospitalizations, six deaths; no changes
• Loudoun County: 12,682 cases, 620 hospitalizations, 155 deaths; increase of 179 cases
• Manassas: 2,668 cases, 145 hospitalizations, 29 deaths; increase of 15 cases
• Manassas Park: 857 cases, 62 hospitalizations, eight deaths; increase of three cases
• Prince William County: 22,592 cases, 1,178 hospitalizations, 247 deaths; increase of 237 cases and two hospitalizations
• Fredericksburg: 909 cases, 62 hospitalizations, eight deaths; increase of 12 cases, one death removed
• Spotsylvania County: 4,018 cases, 200 hospitalizations, 66 deaths; increase of 22 cases, two hospitalizations and four deaths
• Stafford County: 4,371 cases, 218 hospitalizations, 23 deaths; increase of 36 cases