Virginia COVID-19 Jan. 12 Update: Nearly 20K new cases, over 3,800 currently hospitalized

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Department of Health reported over 19,000 new cases Wednesday with nearly 3,900 people in Virginia currently hospitalized due to the virus.

Virginia reported 34 new COVID deaths on Wednesday. VDH’s data currently shows 13 deaths per day on average, and 1,653 people per day are dying on average nationwide, up 36% from two weeks ago.

Virginia’s also reporting a whopping 35.8% test positivity rate on average, and that’s even higher in Hampton Roads. In Portsmouth and Hampton, half of the tests there are coming back positive, and the average for the region is 45%.

Earlier this week, Gov. Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia as the commonwealth sees record COVID-19 hospitalizations with the omicron surge.

The state of emergency will go for 30 days, as Northam says data shows hospitalizations will peak in early February. Officials say the order relaxes regulations to be able to bring in licensed providers from out of state, and gives hospitals more flexibility to increase bed capacity.

Statewide metrics

• New cases: +19,836 (1,315,256 total), 17,037 on average (highest levels of pandemic)
• Deaths: +35 (15,750 total)
• Current hospitalizations: +54 patients (3,899 total currently and 3,420 7-day average, both records) ICU numbers at record high (589 patients), ventilator usage (328 patients) still slightly lower than 2020-21 surge (topped out around 350 patients) but climbing
• (1,864 total beds still available statewide, 371 for ICU
• Test positivity: 35.8%, rising and at record levels, up from 5-6% last month
• Vaccine doses administered: 14,349,458
• Percent of population with at least one dose: 78.2% (6,675,697)
• Percent of adults (18+) with at least one dose: 89.5%
• Percent of population fully vaccinated: 68.2% (5,819,157)
• Percent of adults fully vaccinated: 78.4%
• People vaccinated with booster/third dose: 2,251,348

Local Metrics Updated January 12:

Accomack: 5,403 cases, 358 hospitalized, 84 deaths (+132 cases, 2 hospitalized)
Chesapeake: 39,893 cases, 1,485 hospitalized, 382 deaths (+585 cases, 12 hospitalized)
Franklin: 2,052 cases, 82 hospitalized, 44 deaths (+35 cases, 1 hospitalized)
Gloucester: 5,401 cases, 95 hospitalized, 83 deaths (+118 cases, 1 hospitalized)
Hampton: 21,951 cases, 950 hospitalized, 258 deaths (+433 cases, 19 hospitalized, 1 death)
Isle of Wight: 5,879 cases, 282 hospitalized, 93 deaths (+93 cases, 7 hospitalized)
James City County: 10,919 cases, 324 hospitalized, 100 deaths (+180 cases, 3 cases)
Mathews: 1149 cases, 31 hospitalized, 24 deaths (+5 cases, 1 hospitalized)
Newport News: 29,045 cases, 964 hospitalized, 320 deaths (+400 cases, 6 hospitalized)
Norfolk: 33,129 cases, 1,812 hospitalized, 372 deaths (+472 cases, 16 hospitalized)
Northampton: 1,532 cases, 115 hospitalized, 50 deaths (+27 cases)
Poquoson: 1,835 cases, 44 hospitalized, 24 deaths (+43 cases, 1 hospitalized, 1 death)
Portsmouth: 17,331 cases, 1060 hospitalized, 256 deaths (+218 cases, 8 hospitalized)
Southampton: 2,780 cases, 97 hospitalized, 75 deaths (+43 cases, 1 hospitalized)
Suffolk: 14,957 cases, 885 hospitalized, 259 deaths (+213 cases, 5 hospitalized)
Virginia Beach: 71,284 cases, 3,279 hospitalized, 608 deaths (+1,114 cases, 49 hospitalized, 1 death)
Williamsburg: 1,424 cases, 59 hospitalized, 13 deaths (+10 cases)
York: 7,558 cases, 159 hospitalized, 87 deaths (+118 cases, 3 hospitalized)