PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — A week out from Labor Day, Hampton Roads as a whole has yet to see any major negative effects on the COVID-19 front, despite the rest of the state’s upward trend in cases.
Hospitalizations and deaths are trending down in the region, and there’s been a significant decrease in its percent of positive tests. Hampton Roads’ percent positivity (7% as of Monday) is actually lower than the statewide average. The region’s case average (182 per day) has trickled up slightly in recent days but is down overall.
Statewide numbers:
New cases: (+757, 134,571 total), steady around 1,000 cases per day
New deaths (+19, 2,743 total), down recently but overall steady
Hospitalizations (-6 patients, 1,006 total), trending down
Testing (7.2% 7-day average of positive tests), recent downward trend but elevated above August numbers
The recent trends in Hampton Roads led to Gov. Ralph Northam lifting extra restrictions on the region last week, but he said Hampton Roads can’t let its guard down.
“We all must continue practicing social distancing, wearing facial coverings, and following all public health guidelines. If we want to keep moving forward, we must stay vigilant and do the things that we know will keep our communities safe.”
However Monday did bring concerning news from Southampton County, where 59 new cases were reported. That’s well above recent figures and by far the county’s highest one-day total. It did see a similar increase in cases at the start of the pandemic.
Southampton’s health district, Western Tidewater, has seen its percent positivity drop below 10%, but it still remains high at 9.6%.
Hospitalizations overall continue to trend down statewide, and deaths are overall steady. Though deaths have decreased in Hampton Roads recently as virus numbers have dropped.
Here’s the latest cumulative count for Hampton Roads
Accomack 1,161 cases, 88 hospitalized, 19 deaths (+2 cases)
Chesapeake: 4,086 cases, 372 hospitalized, 49 deaths (+21 cases, +7 hospitalizations)
Franklin: 376 cases, 15 hospitalized, 9 deaths (+4 cases, +5 hospitalizations, +2 deaths)
Gloucester: 226 cases, 13 hospitalized, 2 deaths (+3 cases)
Hampton: 1,723 cases, 58 hospitalized, 17 deaths (+9 cases)
Isle of Wight: 652 cases, 27 hospitalized, 12 deaths (+5 cases, +1 death)
James City County: 799 cases, 63 hospitalized, 18 deaths (+6 cases)
Mathews: 25 cases, 2 hospitalized, 0 deaths (+2 cases)
Newport News: 2,586 cases, 90 hospitalized, 28 deaths (+13 cases)
Norfolk: 4,651 cases, 333 hospitalized, 61 deaths (+4 cases)
Northampton: 304 cases, 49 hospitalized, 29 deaths
Poquoson: 75 cases, 3 hospitalized, 1 deaths (-1 case)
Portsmouth: 2,391 cases, 255 hospitalized, 45 deaths
Southampton: 466 cases, 20 hospitalized, 14 deaths (+59 cases, +4 hospitalized)
Suffolk: 1,842 cases, 118 hospitalized, 63 deaths (+7 cases)
Virginia Beach: 6,482 cases, 342 hospitalized, 72 deaths (+29 cases, +5 hospitalized)
Williamsburg: 163 cases, 12 hospitalized, 6 deaths (-1 case)
York: 507 cases, 15 hospitalized, 6 deaths (+1 case)
Key local metrics
- 165 new cases (59 in Southampton), slight increase recently but down overall
- 3 new deaths, trending down (7-day average back down to about 1 per day from recent high of 6 per day)
- Current hospitalizations: -9 patients, 280 patients total — trending down overall
- 7-day rate of positive tests (excluding Eastern Shore): 7%, trending down
Chesapeake — 6.2% — trending down (steep drop)
Eastern Shore — 1.3% — low overall, (low overall testing)
Hampton— 6% — trending down (steep drop)
Norfolk — 6.6% — trending down, high of 17% reported on July 12
Peninsula — 6.2% — trending down (steep drop)
Portsmouth — 9.3% — trending down overall, but still relatively high
Virginia Beach — 5.3% — trending down
Western Tidewater — 9.6% — trending down, but still relatively high
For these numbers and more, click here to visit the VDH coronavirus page.