Virginia Jan. 6 COVID-19 update: Record 5,387 new cases statewide, Northam holds briefing

Posted: Jan 6, 2021 / 10:21 AM MST

Updated: Jan 6, 2021 / 03:29 PM MST

Correction: There was a typo in the death count for Norfolk. There have been 112 deaths reported in the city. WAVY regrets the error and it has been corrected.

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia reported a record high 5,387 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, nearly two weeks out from Christmas.

Average case levels are at their highest point of the pandemic for the commonwealth, with just over 4,700 being reported each day and a 16.7% rate of positive tests. Hampton Roads is averaging 20% positive tests.

Hospitalizations (2,925 patients currently) and deaths (+35 Wednesday) are also trending up.

Meanwhile Virginia’s vaccine rollout continues to be slow and chaotic, and the Virginia Department of Health had yet to update its latest vaccine numbers for Wednesday as of 10 a.m. Just over 100,000 people have been vaccinated so far.

Case numbers are expected to increase into February, when hopefully vaccination levels are high enough to start reducing spread.

Statewide numbers

New cases: (+5,387, 377,300 total), trending up, at record levels
Case incidence rate: 56 per 100K people, trending up, at record levels
New deaths (+35, 5,226 total), trending up, 35 per day on average
Current hospitalizations (+7, 2,925 total), trending up overall, at record levels
Testing (16.7% 7-day average of positive tests), trending up overall, testing was down around holiday
Vaccines administered: (116,247 total), 2,204 people fully vaccinated (Virginia’s first full vaccinations reported on Wednesday)
Vaccines distributed: (481,550 total), no new vaccines added Wednesday

Expect Gov. Ralph Northam to face questions about the slow pace of vaccinations during his press conference at 2 p.m. Wednesday. While many other states have also seen little progress in getting the vaccine into arms, Virginia hasn’t made any major changes to its plans. Nearby governors Roy Cooper (North Carolina) and Larry Hogan (Maryland) have called on their National Guard troops to help administer vaccines.

Local cases

Cumulative case numbers

Accomack: 1,824 cases, 137 hospitalized, 29 deaths (+10 cases, +3 hospitalizations, +2 deaths)
Chesapeake: 9,933 cases, 623 hospitalized, 104 deaths (+79 cases)
Franklin: 688 cases, 37 hospitalized, 18 deaths ( no change)
Gloucester: 953 cases, 35 hospitalized, 7 deaths ( +15 cases)
Hampton: 4,865 cases, 200 hospitalized, 50 deaths (+92 cases, + 2 hospitalization)
Isle of Wight: 1,625 cases, 80 hospitalized, 29 deaths (+23 cases)
James City County: 2,143 cases, 100 hospitalized, 31 deaths (+24 cases)
Mathews: 338 cases, 15 hospitalized, 4 death (+10 cases)
Newport News: 6541 cases, 205 hospitalized, 72 deaths (+77 cases)
Norfolk: 9,551 cases, 578 hospitalized, 112 deaths (+156 cases, +9 hospitalization, + 1 death)
Northampton: 466 cases, 57 hospitalized, 31 deaths (+3 cases)
Poquoson: 373 cases, 15 hospitalized, 6 deaths (+7 cases)
Portsmouth: 4,895 cases, 445 hospitalized, 86 deaths (+75 cases, +1 hospitalization)
Southampton: 1,372 cases, 35 hospitalized, 42 deaths (+19 cases)
Suffolk: 4282 cases, 248 hospitalized, 91 deaths (+36 cases, + 4 hospitalizations)
Virginia Beach: 18392 cases, 767 hospitalized, 159 deaths (+318 cases, +3 hospitalizations, +3 deaths)
Williamsburg: 380 cases, 22 hospitalized, 8 deaths (+3 cases)
York: 1,661 cases, 36 hospitalized, 13 deaths (+27 cases)