PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Department of Health has reported 4,177 more new COVID-19 cases since Friday. This is the second-highest daily increase reported since the pandemic began and marks 8 days straight of case counts reaching into the 3,300s and beyond.

As of Saturday morning, December 12, Virginia has an overall number of 278,615 coronavirus cases since the start of the outbreak. Of the overall cases reported, 241,397 have been confirmed by testing. 37,218 are probable cases, in which a patient who shows symptoms is diagnosed without testing.

The highest record of daily COVID-19 case increase statewide, so far, was reported three days earlier on Dec. 9 with a record of 4,398 cases reported in one day.

The record metrics led to Gov. Northam on Thursday announcing new coronavirus restrictions through January, including limiting gatherings to 10 people and a “modified stay-at-home order” from midnight to 5 a.m. each day. Northam said Virginia’s numbers are bad, but the commonwealth is still doing better compared to most other states.

Statewide numbers for Virginia:

  • New cases: (+4,177, 278,615 total), trending up overall, at record levels
  • Case incidence rate: 45.4 per 100K, trending up overall, at record levels
  • New deaths (+39, 4,409 total), steady overall, but trending up recently (30 per day)
  • Current hospitalizations (+103 patients, 2,218 total), trending up overall, at record levels
  • Testing (10.8% 7-day average of positive tests), trending up overall, Virginia’s testing average down by several thousand tests recently around holiday but up again, 25,000 per day on average

Local cases

  • Accomack: 1,486 cases, 112 hospitalized, 21 deaths (+20 cases)
  • Chesapeake: 7,348 cases, 566 hospitalized, 88 deaths (+59 cases, +2 hospitalized)
  • Franklin: 595 cases, 30 hospitalized, 17 deaths (+3 cases, +1 hospitalized)
  • Gloucester: 613 cases, 30 hospitalized, 5 deaths (+30 cases, +8 hospitalized)
  • Hampton: 3,298 cases, 157 hospitalized, 38 deaths (+67 cases, +1 hospitalized)
  • Isle of Wight: 1,176 cases, 61 hospitalized, 27 deaths (+15 cases, +1 hopitalized)
  • James City County: 1,326 cases, 80 hospitalized, 25 deaths (+12 cases, +1 hospitalized, +2 deaths)
  • Mathews: 197 cases, 13 hospitalized, 1 death (+11 cases)
  • Newport News: 4,449 cases, 173 hospitalized, 58 deaths (+76 cases)
  • Norfolk: 7,331 cases, 509 hospitalized, 99 deaths (+81 cases, +7 hospitalized)
  • Northampton: 370 cases, 52 hospitalized, 31 deaths (+5 cases, +1 hospitalized)
  • Poquoson: 228 cases, 12 hospitalized, 3 deaths (+6 cases)
  • Portsmouth: 3,546 cases, 379 hospitalized, 73 deaths (+37 cases, +2 hospitalized)
  • Southampton: 1,042 cases, 34 hospitalized, 40 deaths (+6 cases)
  • Suffolk: 3,155 cases, 196 hospitalized, 83 deaths (+35 cases, +3 hospitalized)
  • Virginia Beach: 12,865 cases, 604 hospitalized, 125 deaths (+163 cases, +5 hospitalized)
  • Williamsburg: 321 cases, 22 hospitalized, 8 deaths (+2 cases)
  • York: 1,069 cases, 32 hospitalized, 9 deaths (+23 cases)

Overall, Hampton Roads and the Tidewater region reported a total of 651 cases Saturday, which is 15% of the daily increase statewide.

Key local metrics

  • 651 new cases, trending up overall
  • 2 new deaths, trending up overall
  • 31 new current hospitalizations (447 total), trending up overall
  • Percent of positive tests: 10.55%, trending up overall
  • Virginia Beach leads with 163 new cases.

According to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, 2,117 residents in Virginia are currently hospitalized due to the virus. That number is a combination of confirmed positive COVID-19 patients and hospitalized patients whose COVID-19 test results are still pending.