Editor’s note: Bearing Drift is grateful to Dr. Bob Holsworth for permission to share his daily Virginia coronavirus updates. For more, follow him on Facebook [1].
NUMBERS STEADY BUT LANDSCAPE CHANGING
1. Hospitalizations Steady, Deaths Increase
The Virginia Hospital and Health Care Association’s (VHHA) daily report has 956 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, slightly down from yesterday’s 971 though still higher than any date since June 14.
The Virginia Department of Health this morning reported 1937 COVID-19 deaths, up 32 since yesterday’s 1905. The 84 reported deaths in the last 3 days is the largest 3 day total since May 27-May 30.
2. Confirmed Cases Steady, Big Change in Landscape, Test Positivity Inches Up
VDH reported 613 new confirmed cases yesterday. In the last 3 days the case numbers have been steady at 638-635-613. By comparison, the 3 day case numbers a week ago were 598-416-532.
The 7 day test positivity percentage that had reached a pandemic low of 5.8% last week has now inched back up to 6.3%.
The COVID landscape has shfted considerably, however, over the last few weeks. For most of the pandemic, communities in NOVA and RVA had the highest number of cases every day.
Yesterday, NOVA communities had 112 cases and RVA had 52 cases. Hampton Roads, however, reported 220 cases, exceeding the combined numbers in NOVA and RVA.
In addition, Southwest Virginia that had been relatively unaffected in the first few month of the pandemic is now seeing case increases as well.
3. Bottom Line
A mixed report. Case decline in the 2 largest metros is the most encouraging item. The 3-day increase in deaths, continuing case growth in Hampton Roads, and the reach of COVID-19’s tentacles to parts of the Commonwealth previously not impacted warrant continuing vigilance.