COVID-19 Deaths Top 10K In Virginia 1 Year Since First Death

VIRGINIA — Sunday marks one year since Virginia's first COVID-19 death, and the state has surpassed 10,000 deaths associated with COVID-19.

As reported by the Virginia Department of Health, 10,019 COVID-19 deaths have been recorded to date. Sunday's count includes 34 new deaths. According to the VDH deaths by date on the death certificate data, the days with the most deaths were Jan. 8 (83 confirmed positive and 21 probable), Jan. 15 (67 confirmed positive and 30 probable) and Jan. 17 (70 confirmed and 23 probable).

Gov. Ralph Northam designated Sunday, March 14 as a day of prayer and remembrance to honor the Virginians who have died from COVID-19. Virginia flags were ordered to be lowered on all state and local buildings and grounds from sunrise on Sunday and remain at half-staff until sunset.

Despite Virginia passing this grim milestone, health metrics regarding COVID-19 cases, positive rate of tests and hospitalizations have been improving. On Sunday, 1,173 new cases were reported, brining the seven-day average of daily cases to 1,291. That's similar to an average in early November before cases surged.

Current hospitalizations stand at 1,061, the lowest count since early November, according to VDH data. The number includes 223 patients in the intensive care units and 135 on ventilators. Ventilator use among all hospital patients is at 30 percent, and ICU occupancy is at 77 percent, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

The seven-day average of positive PCR tests is 5.5 percent as of March 10, similar to a level last seen in late October. On average, 18,204 daily PCR testing encounters were reported statewide on March 10, down from a peak of 35,031 on Jan. 14.

The number of fully vaccinated people in Virginia is nearing the 1 million mark. As of Sunday, 2,684,791 vaccine doses have been administered in Virginia. There are 1,713,722 people with at least one dose (20.1 percent of the population) and 974,837 are fully vaccinated (11.4 percent of the population).

The state averages 54,368 doses administered per day. Local health departments lead the state with 858,079 total doses given, followed by hospitals with 694,224 total doses, medical practices with 354,554, long-term care facilities with 301,834, community health providers with 254,264 and pharmacies with 221,836.

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

• Alexandria: 10,570 cases, 519 hospitalizations, 128 deaths; increase of 22 cases and one hospitalization
• Arlington County: 13,638 cases, 781 hospitalizations, 242 deaths; increase of 35 cases
• Fairfax County: 68,641 cases, 3,587 hospitalizations, 1,029 deaths; increase of 150 cases, five hospitalizations and three deaths
• Fairfax City: 506 cases, 39 hospitalizations, 16 deaths; increase of one case, one hospitalization removed
• Falls Church: 366 cases, 20 hospitalizations, nine deaths; no changes
• Loudoun County: 23,928 cases, 904 hospitalizations, 264 deaths; increase of 80 cases and three hospitalizations
• Manassas: 4,065 cases, 165 hospitalizations, 43 deaths; increase of one death
• Manassas Park: 1,136 cases, 66 hospitalizations, 12 deaths; increase of one case
• Prince William County: 40,412 cases, 1,473 hospitalizations, 469 deaths; increase of 74 cases, one hospitalization and three deaths
• Fredericksburg: 1,817 cases, 93 hospitalizations, 22 deaths; increase of three cases
• Spotsylvania County: 8,551 cases, 286 hospitalizations, 106 deaths; increase of three cases
• Stafford County: 9,828 cases, 333 hospitalizations, 70 deaths; increase of 26 cases and one death