New Coronavirus Cases In VA Remain High After 1-Day Spike

VIRGINIA — Virginia Department of Health recorded 5,379 new coronavirus cases in the state on Thursday, which is down slightly from the record number of 5,387 new cases reported on Wednesday.

Current hospitalizations also reached a new high of 3,000, which includes 568 in the intensive care units and 366 on ventilators. There were 49 new deaths reported, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

On Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam outlined the priority groups for the next phases of COVID-19 vaccinations and urged vaccine providers to not let doses go to waste.

The groups prioritized for vaccinations in Virginia's phase 1a are health care workers and long-term care facility residents and workers. An estimated 500,000 people in Virginia are in these groups.

There are 135,863 people with at least one dose of vaccine, which includes 3,891 people who received both doses. Pfizer and Moderna's vaccines require two doses; Pfizer's doses should be taken 21 days apart, and Moderna's doses should be 28 days apart. To date, 481,550 doses have been distributed in Virginia.

The statewide seven-day positive average of PCR tests stands at 16.9 percent. That's nearing the 20.2 percent average on April 20 and 21 when testing capacity was much lower. The seven- day average of daily testing encounters is 25,574 as of Jan. 5, while the average was 2,914 on April 21. On a regional level, all regions have positive averages above 12 percent.

The current 3,000 COVID-19 patients are part of the 13,414 hospital beds occupied in Virginia. The state has 16,476 staffed hospital beds. Among all hospital patients, 1,036 of 3,014 ventilators are in use, representing 34 percent capacity. ICU occupancy stands at 84 percent, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

Here are the latest case updates for our coverage areas between Wednesday and Thursday:

• Alexandria: 7,747 cases, 448 hospitalizations, 89 deaths; increase of 71 cases and four hospitalizations
• Arlington County: 9,541 cases, 670 hospitalizations, 184 deaths; increase of 121 cases
• Fairfax County: 47,235 cases, 3,054 hospitalizations, 697 deaths; increase of 459 cases, 23 hospitalizations and six deaths
• Fairfax City: 312 cases, 26 hospitalizations, 10 deaths; increase of one case
• Falls Church: 197 cases, 18 hospitalizations, six deaths; increase of three cases
• Loudoun County: 15,095 cases, 659 hospitalizations, 162 deaths; increase of 122 cases, two hospitalizations, one death
• Manassas: 3,042 cases, 148 hospitalizations, 29 deaths; increase of 17 cases
• Manassas Park: 972 cases, 65 hospitalizations, eight deaths; no changes
• Prince William County: 27,574 cases, 1,242 hospitalizations, 264 deaths; increase of 227 cases, three hospitalizations and one death
• Fredericksburg: 1,126 cases, 67 hospitalizations, and 11 deaths; increase of 20 cases
• Spotsylvania County: 5,257 cases, 219 hospitalizations, 70 deaths; increase of 74 cases and three hospitalization, one death
• Stafford County: 5,788 cases, 237 hospitalizations, 26 deaths; increase of 104 cases