NoVA Remains Steady As Coronavirus Cases Surge In Hampton Roads

VIRGINIA — Coronavirus cases remain steady in Northern Virginia as Hampton Roads deals with a surge in new cases. The Virginia Department of Health reported 613 additional cases Thursday, with 261, or 43 percent, of the cases in Hampton Roads. Northern Virginia reported 112 new cases Thursday.

At the beginning of the coronavirus crisis, Northern Virginia was the hotspot for infections and deaths. Hampton Roads has now taken over as the region in Virginia getting hit the hardest by the virus.

Norfolk reported 95 new coronavirus cases Thursday. Newport News also reported a one-day high of 25 cases, the third straight day of record high numbers. The region’s average number of new daily cases has now more than tripled compared to two weeks ago, when it was averaging around 75 cases per day.

The record number of cases in the Hampton Roads area is coming with increases in the percent of positive tests, especially in Norfolk, where the percent positivity rate has jumped to 14.3 percent. Statewide, the 7-day moving average of positive tests climbed to 6.3 percent as of Sunday, the most recent date that the department has provided the percent positive data, compared to 6.0 percent on Saturday.

Experts believe the rise in cases in Hampton Roads could be coming as people begin to start gathering in groups again as well as a lack of social distancing and lack of masks.

Virginia's cumulative cases are up to 67,988, while hospitalizations total 6,625 and 1,937 deaths have been reported. As of Thursday, 750,631 nasal swab tests and 79,162 antibody tests have been completed in Virginia.

Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients numbered 956 Thursday, down from 971 reported Wednesday, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. As of Thursday, 9,065 coronavirus patients have been discharged from Virginia hospitals.

Patients on ventilators and in intensive care units totaled 95 on Thursday. Patients in the intensive care unit totaled 215. Among all hospital patients, 638 of 3,002 ventilators are being used, representing 21-percent use statewide.

Hospital resource use remains stable across Virginia, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association dashboard. Unlike other states that are experiencing difficulties getting personal protective equipment for staff at hospitals, no hospitals in Virginia have experience difficulty obtaining or replenishing personal protective gear or other medical supplies since early May, except for two hospitals on June 10.

The breakdown of cases and deaths by racial/ethnic group as of Thursday was:

• Asian or Pacific Islander: 2,230 cases, 113 deaths
• Black: 10,147 cases, 436 deaths
• Latino: 22,813 cases, 211 deaths
• Native American: 81 cases, two deaths
• White: 14,743 cases, 1,046 deaths
• Other race: 1,639 cases, 25 deaths
• Two or more races: 234 cases, one death
• Not reported: 16,101 cases, 103 deaths

Here are the latest case updates for our coverage areas as of Thursday compared with Wednesday's data:

• Alexandria: 2,419 cases, 244 hospitalizations, 57 deaths; increase of 11 cases and two hospitalizations.
• Arlington County: 2,567 cases, 423 hospitalizations, 132 deaths; increase of nine cases and one hospitalization.
• Fairfax County: 14,284 cases, 1,701 hospitalizations, 497 deaths; increase of 31 cases, five hospitalizations and two deaths.
• Fairfax City: 72 cases, six hospitalizations, seven deaths; no change.
• Falls Church: 53 cases, 10 hospitalizations, seven deaths; decrease of one case, one hospitalization and one death.
• Loudoun County: 4,319 cases, 286 hospitalizations, 99 deaths; increase of 37 cases, three hospitalizations and one death.
• Manassas: 1,464 cases, 105 hospitalizations, 18 deaths; no change.
• Manassas Park: 451 cases, 47 hospitalizations and six deaths; increase of two cases.
• Prince William County: 7,687 cases, 695 hospitalizations, 155 deaths; increase of 23 cases and four deaths.
• Fredericksburg: 264 cases, 26 hospitalizations, no deaths; increase of one case.
• Spotsylvania County: 1,060 cases, 82 hospitalizations, 31 deaths; increase of seven cases and one hospitalization.
• Stafford County: 1,038 cases, 102 hospitalizations, six deaths; increase of nine cases, three hospitalizations and one death.