WAVY.com

Virginia Jan. 12 COVID-19 update: 84 new deaths reported as Va. nears record average

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia reported 84 new COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday as Virginia nears a new 7-day average record for COVID-19 deaths.

Tuesday’s increase is technically the highest one-day addition to date. The Virginia Department of Health said a Sept. 15 increase of 95 deaths was due to a backlog, unlike Tuesday’s increase. And unlike back on Sept. 15, deaths are consistently much higher on average. Virginia is averaging 41 per day, and has mostly been above 30 per day on average for a month.

Statewide numbers

COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to break records in Virginia, with 3,185 currently hospitalized as of Jan. 12. The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association says 582 people are in the ICU with COVID, with ICUs at 81% capacity.

Meanwhile Virginia is starting to ramp up its vaccination effort, with people in 1b getting vaccinations this week. That wasn’t supposed to include Hampton Roads yet, but WAVY learned Monday night that Chesapeake teachers will start receiving vaccinations starting Wednesday. They’re the first school district in Hampton Roads to offer voluntary vaccines.

Cases, deaths and hospitalizations are also at record levels and climbing nationwide.

Local cases

Key local metrics

Test positivity 

For more information from the Virginia Department of Health, click here.