PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia health officials reported 758 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide on Tuesday and 34 new deaths linked to the disease.
Tuesday’s 758 confirmed COVID-19 cases is the most reported in a single day by the Virginia Department of Health. Virginia has recently increased testing to about 4,000 per day, Gov. Ralph Northam said, which could lead to more positive tests being reported. Though tests reported to the health department only increased by about 2,500 between Monday and Tuesday. Virginia ranks among the lowest in the country in per capita testing.
Health care providers in Hampton Roads will typically test a person for COVID-19 if they are symptomatic, but not if they’re asymptomatic (not experiencing symptoms).
About 17% of people tested statewide have tested positive for COVID-19. About 3.5% of positive cases have been fatal, though that fatality rate calculated based on the current reported data is higher than the actual fatality rate, due to lack of testing, particularly of asymptomatic people.
VDH officials also announced 46 new probable cases, in which a diagnosis is made without a test. 545 probable cases have been recorded so far.
Here’s the latest breakdown for the Tidewater region:
Accomack: 223 cases, 18 hospitalized, 4 deaths
Chesapeake: 220 cases, 45 hospitalized, 6 deaths
Franklin: 18 cases, 1 hospitalized, 0 deaths
Gloucester: 22 cases, 5 hospitalized, 1 death
Hampton: 108 cases, 28 hospitalized, 1 death
Isle of Wight: 96 cases, 9 hospitalized, 2 deaths
James City County: 155 cases, 51 hospitalized, 12 deaths
Mathews: 4 cases, 1 hospitalized, 0 deaths,
Newport News: 112 cases, 33 hospitalized, 7 deaths
Norfolk: 188 cases, 38 hospitalized, 3 deaths
Northampton: 35 cases 3 hospitalized, 0 deaths
Poquoson: 6 cases, 2 hospitalized, 0 death
Portsmouth: 149 cases, 32 hospitalized, 5 deaths
Southampton: 115 cases, 3 hospitalized, 1 death
Suffolk: 152 cases, 32 hospitalized, 8 deaths
Virginia Beach: 359 cases, 76 hospitalized, 12 deaths
Williamsburg: 18 cases, 6 hospitalized, 1 death
York: 45 cases, 6 hospitalized, 1 death
Tuesday’s increase in reported deaths statewide (34) is the highest since Friday, April 24, when 38 new deaths were reported.
Current hospitalizations due to COVID-19 increased for the eighth straight day on Tuesday, up to 1,508 overall. 376 of those are in the ICU and 217 are on ventilators.
Most people who contract the new coronavirus only suffer “mild” to moderate symptoms and can recover via home isolation. However, the virus can cause severe illness or death for some who contract it, particularly older adults and those with underlying health conditions.