Virginia Hospitalizations Stabilize After November Surge

VIRGINIA — The Virginia Department of Health reported 2,877 new coronavirus cases Friday, increasing the seven-day average of daily cases to 2,419 compared to 2,229 on Thursday.

On Friday, each of the five regions in Virginia, except Northern Virginia, reported new cases above their seven-day average. New cases by region included 741 in the southwest region (524.0 seven-day average), 662 in the northern region (691.0 seven-day average), 544 in the northwest region (455.9 seven-day average), 469 in the eastern region (403.3 seven-day average) and 461 in the central region (345.3 seven-day average).

Statewide, there are 1,854 current COVID-19 patients as of Friday. Hospitalizations in Virginia have remained steady over the past three days. Of these, 187 patients are on ventilators, and 413 are in the intensive care units.

Hospitalizations by region include 507 in Northern Virginia. Elsewhere in the state, 373 people were hospitalized in the southwest region on Friday, 345 in the eastern region, 331 in the central region and 298 in the northwest region.

On Wednesday, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said at a news conference that an estimated 70,000 doses of a coronavirus vaccine would be in the first wave of Pfizer vaccines sent to Virginia.

The governor said Virginia will be following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention policy for distribution of vaccines to priority groups. On Tuesday, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted to make the first priority group health care workers and long-term care facility residents.

As of Nov. 30, the seven-day positive average of tests in Virginia was 9.5 percent. Regional averages were 13.3 percent in the southwest region, 9.4 percent in the northern region, 8.8 percent in the eastern region, 8.7 in the northwest region and 7.8 percent in the central region.

Ventilator use among all hospital patients in Virginia is at 29 percent, while ICU occupancy is at 78 percent, according to the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. The 2019 average for ICU occupancy was 67 percent. When including 880 ICU surge beds, statewide ICU occupancy is at 52 percent.

According to VDH data, no Virginia hospitals have reported difficulty obtaining PPE since Sept. 18.

There were 13 new coronavirus deaths reported by VDH on Friday, and the seven-day average of daily death reports is 16.6. The cumulative totals of deaths is 4,160, while there have been 247,380 cases and 15,116 hospitalizations to date.

Below are the latest coronavirus data updates for our coverage area from Thursday to Friday:

• Alexandria: 5,513 cases, 373 hospitalizations, 81 deaths; increase of 34 cases and two deaths
• Arlington County: 6,535 cases, 596 hospitalizations, 157 deaths; increase of 63 cases and three hospitalizations
• Fairfax County: 32,246 cases, 2,607 hospitalizations, 625 deaths; increase of 331 cases, 13 hospitalizations and one death.
• Fairfax City: 214 cases, 18 hospitalizations, nine deaths; increase of one case
• Falls Church: 117 cases, 15 hospitalizations, six deaths; increase of five cases
• Loudoun County: 10,469 cases, 568 hospitalizations, 150 deaths; increase of 93 cases and one hospitalization
• Manassas: 2,355 cases, 142 hospitalizations, 28 deaths; increase of 11 cases and three hospitalizations
• Manassas Park: 748 cases, 62 hospitalizations, eight deaths; increase of eight cases
• Prince William County: 18,968 cases, 1,103 hospitalizations, 235 deaths; increase of 116 cases and four hospitalizations
• Fredericksburg: 723 cases, 57 hospitalizations, six deaths; increase of six cases
• Spotsylvania County: 3,292 cases, 183 hospitalizations, 58 deaths; increase of 44 cases
• Stafford County: 3,458 cases, 199 hospitalizations, 22 deaths; increase of 70 cases and one hospitalization

SEE ALSO: Initial 70K Doses Of Pfizer's Vaccine Expected In Virginia