Va. Dec. 2 COVID-19 update: Hospitalizations climb again by nearly 100 patients, 20 new deaths reported

Posted: Dec 2, 2020 / 09:36 AM EST

Updated: Dec 2, 2020 / 09:37 AM EST

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are on a concerning ascent, up nearly 1,000 patients compared to a month ago, and more than 300 patients in a week.

Virginia’s current number of COVID-19 patients, 1,860 is a record high and more than 200 patients higher than its initial peak on May 8.

Virginia has expanded its hospital bed capacity since that time, and COVID-19 treatment protocols have improved significantly since then, but health experts say there are concerns that there won’t be enough health care workers to adequately care for patients.

Hampton Roads is seeing a steady uptick (337 patients), up nearly double this time last month. Northern Virginia’s hospitalizations have more than doubled. The Northwest and Southwest regions are also seeing concerning increases.

Statewide numbers:

New cases: (+2,417, 242,480 total), trending up overall
Case incidence rate: 27.1 per 100K, trending up overall
New deaths (+20, 4,113 total), steady overall
Current hospitalizations (+103 patients, 1,860 total), at record levels, trending up
Testing (8.3% 7-day average of positive tests), trending up overall, Virginia averaging around 25,000 tests per day

Deaths are still steady overall, but they lag hospitalizations.

Here’s the latest national numbers from the COVID Tracking Project. All metrics are trending up overall, with hospitalizations and cases at record levels. More than 1,500 COVID-19 patients are dying each day on average.

Our daily update is published. States reported 1.3 million tests, 177k cases, and 2,473 deaths. There are 99k people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the US, a new record. pic.twitter.com/NdL3Xyk5dr
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) December 2, 2020

Local cases

Accomack: 1,359 cases, 108 hospitalized, 21 deaths (+2 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Chesapeake: 6,739 cases, 537 hospitalized, 80 deaths (+40 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Franklin: 551 cases, 28 hospitalized, 17 deaths (+2 cases, +1 hospitalized, +1 death)
Gloucester: 521 cases, 21 hospitalized, 3 deaths (+6 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Hampton: 2,846 cases, 127 hospitalized, 35 deaths (+17 cases, +6 hospitalized)
Isle of Wight: 1,050 cases, 56 hospitalized, 28 deaths (+6 cases, +1 hospitalized)
James City County: 1,229 cases, 73 hospitalized, 22 deaths (+17 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Mathews: 163 cases, 12 hospitalized, 1 death (no change)
Newport News: 4,123 cases, 150 hospitalized, 55 deaths (+38 cases, +7 hospitalized)
Norfolk: 6,617 cases, 464 hospitalized, 91 deaths (+51 cases, +6 hospitalized)
Northampton: 351 cases, 50 hospitalized, 31 deaths (no change)
Poquoson: 152 cases, 4 hospitalized, 2 deaths (+5 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Portsmouth: 3,234 cases, 351 hospitalized, 71 deaths (+18 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Southampton: 996 cases, 32 hospitalized, 40 deaths (+8 cases)
Suffolk: 2,803 cases, 165 hospitalized, 80 deaths (+27 cases, +4 hospitalized)
Virginia Beach: 11,070 cases, 543 hospitalized, 115 deaths (+107 cases, +10 hospitalized, +2 deaths)
Williamsburg: 295 cases, 18 hospitalized, 8 deaths (+4 cases, +1 hospitalized)
York: 950 cases, 28 hospitalized, 9 deaths (+21 cases, +1 hospitalized)