PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — 3,295 new coronavirus cases and 45 new deaths were reported Friday, as COVID-19 hospitalizations in Virginia passed the 2,400 patient mark for the first time.

The upward trend of new cases reported held around the 3,500-4,000 per day case mark this week, but deaths and hospitalizations are still trending up steadily, reflecting the recent record case numbers.

Statewide numbers

  • New cases: (+3,295 299,388 total), trending up overall
  • Case incidence rate: 42 per 100K, trending up overall
  • New deaths (+45 4,598 total), trending up (33 per day on average)
  • Current hospitalizations (+10 patients, 2,409 total), trending up overallat record levels
  • Testing (11.6% 7-day average of positive tests), trending up overall, Virginia’s testing average went down by several thousand tests around the holiday but is back up to 27,000 per day.

This comes as the United States continues to break death reporting records. 3,438 new deaths were reported nationwide on Thursday and 2,560 Americans are dying each day on average due to COVID-19.

Virginia’s now reporting 33 new deaths per day, and deaths have been continuing to trend up. 2,232 of those deaths have occurred in long-term care centers and 36 have been in state correctional facilities, VDH data shows.

Hospitalizations cleared 2,400 patients for the first time Friday, up to 2,409 patients, 516 in Hampton Roads. ICU capacity is at 79% (typically 67% pre-COVID) with 510 COVID-19 patients.


This all comes as VDH reported Friday that it would receive 100,000 fewer doses that originally planned in December under the federal Operation Ward Speed initiative.

There’s been little explanation as to why states will receive fewer doses, but Pfizer said Thursday it wasn’t facing production issues.

“We have millions more doses sitting in our warehouse but, as of now, we have not received any shipment instructions for additional doses,” a statement from the company read.

Local cases

  • Accomack: 1,553 cases, 115 hospitalized, 23 deaths (+8 cases)
  • Chesapeake: 8,168 cases, 581 hospitalized, 92 deaths (+137 cases, +7 hospitalized)
  • Franklin: 618 cases, 31 hospitalized, 17 deaths (+2 cases)
  • Gloucester: 702 cases, 25 hospitalized, 7 deaths (+13 cases, +1 hospitalized, +1 death)
  • Hampton: 3,678 cases, 178 hospitalized, 43 deaths (+42 cases, +1 hospitalized, +1 death)
  • Isle of Wight: 1,279 cases, 68 hospitalized, 28 deaths (+18 cases, +1 hospitalized)
  • James City County: 1,502 cases, 89 hospitalized, 26 deaths (+44 cases, +1 hospitalized, +1 death)
  • Mathews: 257 cases, 13 hospitalized, 2 deaths (+6 cases. +1 death)
  • Newport News: 4,996 cases, 184 hospitalized, 63 deaths (+85 cases, +2 hospitalized)
  • Norfolk: 7,684 cases, 525 hospitalized, 101 deaths (+49 cases, +1 hospitalized)
  • Northampton: 384 cases, 53 hospitalized, 31 deaths (+1 cases)
  • Poquoson: 261 cases, 15 hospitalized, 3 deaths (+6 cases)
  • Portsmouth: 3,760 cases, 398 hospitalized, 74 deaths (+38 cases, +9 hospitalized, +1 death)
  • Southampton: 1,073 cases, 34 hospitalized, 40 deaths (+2 cases)
  • Suffolk: 3,379 cases, 212 hospitalized, 87 deaths (+25 cases, +4 hospitalized)
  • Virginia Beach: 13,840 cases, 667 hospitalized, 132 deaths (+388 cases, +18 hospitalized, +2 deaths)
  • Williamsburg: 343 cases, 22 hospitalized, 8 deaths (+3 cases)
  • York: 1,213 cases, 32 hospitalized, 10 deaths (+32 cases, +1 death)

Key local metrics

  • 899 new cases, record and trending up
  • 8 new deaths, trending up
  • -9 currently hospitalized (615 total), trending up
  • Area percent positivity: 13%, trending up

Test positivity (Thursday numbers)

  • Chesapeake — 14.3% — trending up overall (Chesapeake schools going to all virtual learning after winter break)
  • Eastern Shore — 12.7% — trending up overall
  • Hampton — 14.9% —  trending up overall
  • Norfolk — 12.1% — trending up overall
  • Peninsula — 12.9% — trending up overall
  • Portsmouth — 12.7% — trending up overall
  • Virginia Beach — 13.3% — trending up overall
  • Western Tidewater —12.9% — trending up overall

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