Virginia Dec. 22 COVID-19 update: Case average passes summer delta wave, but hospitalizations still well below

Posted: Dec 22, 2021 / 02:44 PM EST

Updated: Dec 22, 2021 / 07:07 PM EST

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia reported nearly 6,000 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, just days ahead of Christmas, as the highly contagious omicron variant spreads.

The one-day increase of 5,972 cases is one of the highest one-day increases of the pandemic, and higher than any day in 2020. There were a couple of days in early January 2021 with higher numbers (one day totals can be unreliable due to reporting delays and other factors).

With cases, the key thing to watch is the average of new cases, the yellow line on the Virginia Department of Health’s map under the locality tab. Virginia’s average of new cases is now 3,980 per day, higher than the previous delta wave over the summer and appears primed to surpass the winter 2020-21 peak. The omicron variant is at least twice contagious as earlier variants, scientists believe, and it already accounts for about 3/4 of new cases.

The good news is at the moment, due to some combination of vaccination protection/high population immunity and the inherent nature of the variant, omicron appears to bring less severe infections compared to delta (which is also still circulating). About 7-8% more of the overall population in Virginia is now considered fully vaccinated compared to mid September.

Back in the summer when the initial delta wave hit, Virginia was averaging about 700 more patients in hospitals with case numbers at similar levels to today. Virginia’s metrics are similar overall to the numbers nationwide, per the New York Times coronavirus tracker.

More people may also be voluntarily testing themselves ahead of the holidays, but the Virginia Department of Health is reporting about the same level of overall testing compared to mid-September so far.

There has also been an increase in new deaths, but levels are still just over half of those from the summer delta wave. 50 new deaths were reported Wednesday.

State metrics

New cases (+5,972, 1,034,107 total), 3,980, rising and high than summer delta wave
Deaths (+50, 15,224 total), rising again (28 per day) after falling to 12 per day
Current hospitalizations (+32, 1,550 total currently), rising again, still less than half of winter surge last year, 379 in ICU and 2,608 total beds left statewide, 417 for ICU
Test positivity: 10%, rising overall, up from 5-6% last month
Vaccine doses administered: 13,715,418
Percent of population with at least one dose: 76.5% (6,527,571)
Percent of adults (18+) with at least one dose: 87.9%
Percent of population fully vaccinated: 67.1% (5,724,344)
Percent of adults fully vaccinated: 77.7%
People vaccinated with booster/third dose: 1,849,909

Vaccines and protection against omicron

While people who are considered “fully vaccinated” with two doses of mRNA vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna still have strong protection against severe symptoms, they are more likely to be infected than those without boosters, health experts say. Booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna help increase protection against infection with a significant increase in antibody levels, data has shown.

Preliminary data also shows Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine still prevents severe illness, but doesn’t offer much protection against getting infected. Health officials are recommending those people get a Moderna or Pfizer booster shot.

For more vaccine data, click here.

https://vdhpublicdata.vdh.virginia.gov/views/VirginiaCOVID-19Dashboard-VaccineSummary/VirginiaCOVID-19VaccineSummary?amp;:showVizHome=n&:display_count=n&:embed=y&:isGuestRedirectFromVizportal=y&:showAppBanner=false&&:device=phone;:showShareOptions%3Dfalse&:origin=viz_share_link

Local cases