PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia’s 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases dipped below 900 cases per day for the first time in over a month on Thursday as Hampton Roads’ average continues to decline.

Statewide numbers:

  • New cases: (+863, 109,882 total) — 7-day average down slightly, dipped below 900 cases for first time in over a month
  • New deaths (+17, 2,410 total) — steady overall
  • Hospitalizations (+23 patients, 1,266 total) —steady overall but increase over last few days
  • Testing (6.5% 7-day average of positive tests), daily tests now below 14,000 per day, about 3,000 lower per day than late July

Hampton Roads now accounts for about about a quarter of the commonwealth’s new cases, down from just shy of half of overall cases this time a month ago. Its 7-day average of 237 cases per day is down more 200 cases per day from the region’s peak in late July. That decrease is mainly due to large decreases in new cases in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, which were reporting as many as 100 new cases per day each.

The region’s percent of positive cases is now back down to 9.2%, after going above 13% overall during its surge. Individual health districts, including Norfolk and Portsmouth, had percentages that were much higher.

However new deaths in Hampton Roads are still steady, about 2 deaths per day higher than earlier in the pandemic.

Norfolk’s reported 6 deaths in the last week, with 3 in Portsmouth and 4 in Suffolk.

2 new deaths statewide reported Thursday were in long-term care centers.

Hospitalizations in the region are down slightly, but still about 200 patients higher than earlier in the pandemic.

Here’s the latest cumulative count for Hampton Roads

Accomack 1,131 cases, 86 hospitalized, 18 deaths (+2 cases)
Chesapeake: 3,384 cases, 274 hospitalized, 41 deaths (+26 cases, +5 hospitalized)
Franklin: 222 cases, 8 hospitalized, 6 deaths (+2 cases)
Gloucester: 181 cases, 13 hospitalized, 2 deaths (+2 cases)
Hampton: 1,388 cases, 53 hospitalized, 9 deaths (+11 cases)
Isle of Wight: 452 cases, 22 hospitalized, 10 deaths (+2 cases)
James City County: 662 cases, 59 hospitalized, 17 deaths (+10 cases)
Mathews: 23 cases, 2 hospitalized, 0 deaths (no increases)
Newport News: 2,048 cases, 83 hospitalized, 20 deaths (+14 cases)
Norfolk: 4,091 cases, 244 hospitalized, 39 deaths (+29 cases, +3 hospitalized, +2 deaths)
Northampton: 301 cases, 49 hospitalized, 29 deaths (+1 case)
Poquoson: 50 cases, 2 hospitalized, 0 deaths (+1 case)
Portsmouth: 2,045 cases, 152 hospitalized, 28 deaths (+21 cases, +11 hospitalized, +3 deaths)
Southampton: 311 cases, 14 hospitalized, 13 deaths (no increases)
Suffolk: 1,483 cases, 110 hospitalized, 57 deaths (+7 cases, +3 hospitalized, +2 deaths)
Virginia Beach: 5,562 cases, 284 hospitalized, 61 deaths (+40 cases, +2 hospitalized, +1 death)
Williamsburg: 140 cases, 12 hospitalized, 6 deaths (+1 case)
York: 413 cases, 14 hospitalized, 4 deaths (+1 case)

Key local metrics

  • 170 new cases, trending down
  • 8 new deaths, steady overall (about 2 deaths per day higher than late May to late July)
  • -10 hospitalized (451 overall) trending down overall
  • 7-day rate of positive tests: 9.2% — trending down overall

Chesapeake — 10.6% — trending down overall
Eastern Shore — 5.6% — Slight increase recently but still low overall, (low overall testing)
Hampton— 7.3% —  trending down
Norfolk — 8.6 % — trending down overall from high of 17% reported on July 12
Peninsula — 7.1% — Down from 11.5% on July 17
Portsmouth — 11.8% — trending down from recent high of 18.6%
Virginia Beach — 6.5% — trending down from recent high of 12.4
Western Tidewater — 12.7% — steady around 12%

For more data on coronavirus in Virginia, visit the Virginia Department of Health’s website.

If you have symptoms and want to be tested for COVID-19, check with your doctor’s office.

Some testing sites in Virginia are offering community testing events, such as drive-thru testing.

Norfolk was also recently selected as part of the Health Equity Pilot Program where 20,000 cloth masks, bottles of hand sanitizer, and public health materials have been allocated to the city and will be distributed at select events.