PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Hampton Roads reported one of its highest 1-day increases in COVID-19 cases to date on Monday, showing the region’s average number of daily cases is mostly still on the rise, but watch out for virus levels starting to elevate in other parts of the commonwealth.
The Virginia Department of Health reported 1,505 new cases on Monday, which would be its second highest 1-day increase of the pandemic, however the health department says that figure includes some cases that were not entered into its system over the weekend. It’s unclear just how many cases were added in addition to what Monday’s regular count would have been, but either way Virginia’s 7-day average of cases (1,110 per day) is near its record of 1,195 per day back in May 31.
Statewide numbers:
- New cases: (+ 1, 505, 86,072 total) — trending up
- New deaths (+4, 2,082 total) — Daily reported deaths lag “Deaths by day of death,” the metric that shows the actual day a COVID-19 patient died, which continues to decline from peak of 37 per day in early May. Reported deaths at lowest average since early April.
- Hospitalizations (+26, 1,200 total) — trending up overall after falling to low of 783 patients on July 6, ICU and ventilator numbers still low, 10,576 patients discharged since start of pandemic
- Testing (7.5% positive tests overall, 7-day average went above 7% for first time since June 12 last week. Back down after going up to 7.9% last week
Back in May most of the commonwealth’s cases were coming from Northern Virginia. That region’s cases went way down June and most of July, but it’s now seeing elevated numbers. 436 of Monday’s new cases were in Northern Virginia.
Virginia’s Central and Southwest regions are also seeing slightly elevated numbers.
Meanwhile Hampton Roads’ daily case average has quadrupled compared to June, but it’s starting to level off, averaging between 460 and 475 new cases per day for more than a week now.
Another small positive: the region’s percent of positive tests is down slightly overall, but still above 10% at 12%.
The region’s average of new hospitalizations now match early April numbers, with new deaths up from June, but still below averages earlier in the pandemic. For these graphs and more from the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, click here.
Here’s the latest count for Hampton Roads and the whole Tidewater region (numbers are cumulative)
Accomack: 1,065 cases, 76 hospitalized, 15 deaths (+2 cases)
Chesapeake: 2,246 cases, 191 hospitalized, 25 deaths (+95 cases, +8 hospitalized)
Franklin: 109 cases, 7 hospitalized, 4 deaths (+2 cases)
Gloucester: 132 cases, 12 hospitalized, 1 death (+5 cases)
Hampton: 916 cases, 48 hospitalized, 4 deaths (+43 cases)
Isle of Wight: 315 cases, 19 hospitalized, 9 deaths (+10 cases)
James City County: 510 cases, 59 hospitalized, 16 deaths (+13 cases)
Mathews: 11 cases, 2 hospitalized, 0 deaths
Newport News: 1,474 cases, 71 hospitalized, 15 deaths (+50 cases)
Norfolk: 2,779 cases, 158 hospitalized, 20 deaths (+8 cases)
Northampton: 297 cases, 45 hospitalized, 28 deaths (+4 cases)
Poquoson: 33 cases, 2 hospitalized, 0 deaths (+1 case)
Portsmouth: 1,291 cases, 109 hospitalized, 21 deaths (+24 cases)
Southampton: 226 cases, 12 hospitalized, 11 deaths (+2 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Suffolk: 948 cases, 90 hospitalized, 45 deaths (+34 cases, +7 hospitalized)
Virginia Beach: 3,742 cases, 188 hospitalized, 43 deaths (+194 cases, +5 hospitalized)
Williamsburg: 105 cases, 12 hospitalized, 6 deaths (+3 cases)
York: 282 cases, 14 hospitalized, 3 deaths (+3 cases)
Key local metrics
- 493 new cases (487 in Hampton Roads), starting to stagnate
- 0 new deaths (7-day average – 1.5 per day), trending back down
- 21 new hospitalizations (7-day average — 17), trending up
- 7-day percent of positive tests – 12%, trending down slightly
7-day positivity rates
Chesapeake – 13.6% — overall trending up
Eastern Shore – 5.5% — trending down, low overall (low overall testing)
Hampton – 9.6 % — trending back down after increased testing
Norfolk – 13.0% — trending down from high of 17% reported on July 12
Peninsula — 8.7% — trending down
Portsmouth — 17.5 % — trending down slightly
Virginia Beach — 11.8% — trending up overall
Western Tidewater — 10.4% — trending up overall
Gov. Ralph Northam told 10 On Your Side he’s monitoring the increased cases in Hampton Roads and the rest of the state, and could impose more restrictions soon, including lowering phase 3’s 250 person gathering limit. He’s expected to hold a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon.
Related: Virginia high school sports won’t start until December, fall sports moved to February
For more information from the Virginia Department of Health, click here.