Virginia Reports Smallest Daily Jump In Hospitalizations Of Week

VIRGINIA — The Virginia Department of Health on Friday confirmed 813 additional cases of the new coronavirus and 37 new deaths. The latest cumulative totals are 34,950 cases, 1,136 deaths and 4,145 hospitalizations.

After reporting 114 new hospitalizations from Wednesday to Thursday in the state, the VDH reported 52 new hospitalizations on Friday from the previous day, the lowest daily increase in new hospitalizations for the week. The department reported 75 new hospitalizations on Wednesday and 82 new hospitalizations on Tuesday.

The Northern Virginia region accounted for 481 new cases, or 59 percent of Virginia's 813 new cases as of Friday. That includes 154 new cases in Fairfax County, 132 in Prince William County, 107 in Loudoun County, 32 in Arlington County, 30 in Alexandria, 21 in Manassas, five in Manassas Park, and no new cases in Fairfax City and Falls Church.

The percentage of tests coming up positive went up slightly Friday. The statewide 7-day positivity rate for only polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests is 14.7 percent, compared to 14.4 percent Thursday. The positivity rate is 13.2 percent when including PCR and antibody tests, the same as the rate reported Thursday.

A total of 223,433 PCR tests have been completed in Virginia, an increase of 6,543 since Thursday. The testing total with PCR and antibody tests is 249,940, an increase of 7,983.

The Virginia Department of Health began separating PCR and antibody testing numbers last week. PCR testing is a viral test to determine a current infection through respiratory samples, while antibody testing checks for a previous infection through the presence of antibodies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibody testing may not always find antibodies in an individual with a current infection, depending on the timing of testing and infection date.

On Friday, VDH said there are 320 outbreaks in the state, 188 in long-term care facilities. These facilities also account for 667, or 58.7 percent, of the state's 1,136 deaths attributed to the virus.

State prisons reported 1,187 positive cases of the coronavirus, or 3 percent of the state total. The state reports that five inmates have died from the coronavirus in its prisons.

The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association reported 1,459 people with pending or confirmed coronavirus test results currently hospitalized, down from 1,491 Thursday. A total of 4,963 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from hospitals, up from 4,778 on Thursday.

As of Friday, 207 COVID-19 patients were using ventilators, an increase of 16 patients from Thursday. A total of 636 hospital patients are using ventilators as of Friday. Total ventilator use among 2,959 available ventilators represents 21-percent use in Virginia. No hospitals are experiencing difficulty obtaining or restocking protective gear or other medical supplies in the next 72 hours.

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A new dashboard from the Northern Virginia Regional Commission provides more insight into the region's data, including some of the governor's reopening metrics. The data on daily cases, deaths, hospitalizations, tests completed and percent positive tests can be viewed by health district or Northern Virginia as a whole.

According to the data, the 7-day moving average of positive PCR tests for the region is trending downward in Northern Virginia. However, Northern Virginia's percent positive rate of 24.2 percent remains far higher than the state average of 14.7 percent for PCR testing.

The data dashboard indicates daily hospitalizations in the region are declining, although there are day-to-day fluctuations. Daily tests completed are trending upward for the region.

A number of large-scale free testing events have been held or are planned in Northern Virginia. In Fairfax County, testing events will happen on May 23 in Annandale and May 24 in Bailey's Crossroads. Community testing at two Alexandria sites will happen on May 25.

Here are the latest cumulative case updates for our coverage areas as of Friday:

• Alexandria: 1,657 cases, 175 hospitalizations, 37 deaths; increase of 30 cases and four hospitalizations
• Arlington County: 1,795 cases, 346 hospitalizations, 91 deaths; increase of 32 cases and two deaths
• Fairfax County: 8,734 cases, 1,181 hospitalizations, 321 deaths; increase of 154 cases, 16 hospitalizations and 12 deaths
• Fairfax City: 51 cases, seven hospitalizations, four deaths; increase of one hospitalization and one death
• Falls Church: 46 cases, 10 hospitalizations, five deaths
• Loudoun County: 1,807 cases, 149 hospitalizations, 51 deaths; increase of 107 cases, two hospitalizations and two deaths
• Manassas: 764 cases, 58 hospitalizations, seven deaths; increase of 21 cases, two hospitalizations and one death.
• Manassas Park: 228 cases, 27 hospitalizations, four deaths; increase of five cases and one death
• Prince William County: 4,315 cases, 411 hospitalizations, 80 deaths; increase of 132 cases, three hospitalizations and one death
• Fredericksburg: 109 cases, 15 hospitalizations, no deaths; increase of two cases
• Spotsylvania County: 373 cases, 31 hospitalizations, four deaths; increase of seven cases
• Stafford County: 552 cases, 66 hospitalizations, four deaths; increase of 12 cases and one hospitalization

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