VA Colleges Report Coronavirus Spikes; JMU Goes Mostly Virtual

VIRGINIA — The Virginia Department of Health reported 1,126 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the cumulative total to 123,668 cases. There were 11 new deaths reported on Thursday, and a total of 2,652 people with the virus have died. In all, 9,741 hospitalizations have been reported.

The latest 7-day average of new cases across the state was 1,013 cases on Thursday, up from a 7-day average of 894 cases two weeks ago on Aug. 20. The northern region reported a 7-day average of 245 cases on Thursday, followed by the southwest region with a 7-day average of 229, the eastern region with a 7-day average of 200, the central region with a 7-day average of 183 and the northwest region with a 7-day average of 156.

College campuses across the state are seeing spikes in coronavirus cases. Virginia Tech reported 157 positive cases last week, with a positivity rate of 15.5 percent, according to the Roanoke Times. Virginia Tech president Tim Sands said in a statement the university would consider scaling back operations if the number of new cases doesn’t “stabilize and decline.”

After a spike in coronavirus cases, James Madison University is switching to a mostly virtual format. With some exceptions, students are being asked to leave campus by Labor Day. The school is the first in the state to transition from in-person classes to mostly virtual instruction after opening for the fall, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

Officials at the Harrisonburg university will monitor trends and announce by Sept. 25 whether in-person instruction may resume on or after Oct. 5, according to the newspaper.

As for hospitalizations, COVID-19 patients increased from 1,114 to 1,130 statewide from Wednesday to Thursday. That includes 123 on ventilators and 257 in the intensive care units, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association.

Ventilator use among all Virginia hospital patients is at 20 percent capacity, while ICU occupancy is at 80 percent. The statewide average for ICU occupancy in 2019 was 67 percent. One hospital reports difficulty obtaining personal protective equipment in the next 72 hours.

Regionally, the eastern region reported 355 people hospitalized with COVID-19 Thursday and 7-day average of 357 hospitalizations. The northern region reported 284 hospitalizations and a 7-day average of 256.

The central had 220 COVID-19 patients hospitalized on Thursday and reported a 7-day average of 222. The southwest region had 161 people hospitalized with COVID-19 on Thursday and a 7-day average of 151. In the northwest region, 108 people were hospitalized Thursday and the region reported a 7-day average of 107.

There have been 1,619,053 total PCR tests completed in Virginia, up 13,763 from Wednesday. The state's 7-day average of positive tests was 7.7 percent on Aug. 30.

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

• Alexandria: 3,436 cases, 301 hospitalizations, 62 deaths; increase of 21 cases and one hospitalization.
• Arlington County: 3,587 cases, 470 hospitalizations, 141 deaths; increase of 18 cases and one hospitalization.
• Fairfax County: 18,671 cases, 2,076 hospitalizations, 562 deaths; increase of 65 cases, 14 hospitalizations and one death.
• Fairfax City: 121 cases, 13 hospitalizations, seven deaths; no changes.
• Falls Church: 66 cases, 11 hospitalizations, seven deaths; no changes.
• Loudoun County: 6,077 cases, 391 hospitalizations, 118 deaths; increase of 24 cases and two hospitalizations.
• Manassas: 1,819 cases, 128 hospitalizations, 24 deaths; increase of six cases.
• Manassas Park: 571 cases, 53 hospitalizations, seven deaths; no changes.
• Prince William County: 11,024 cases, 864 hospitalizations, 188 deaths; increase of 80 cases, four hospitalizations and one death.
• Fredericksburg: 488 cases, 47 hospitalizations, five deaths; increase of two cases.
• Spotsylvania County: 1,853 cases, 123 hospitalizations, 38 deaths; increase of 17 cases and one hospitalization.
• Stafford County: 1,737 cases, 137 hospitalizations, 10 deaths; increase of eight cases and one death removed.

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