RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) — Southwest Virginians have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 at nearly triple the rate of Virginians as a whole during the month of October.
That’s according to data released daily by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), which showed 12 new reported COVID hospitalizations in the nine-county area Friday after 30 were reported Thursday.
Since Oct. 1, the population-adjusted rate of COVID hospitalizations regionally is 67.4 per 100,000 residents. That compares to a 24.4 rate statewide.
In Washington County (including Bristol) the rate for October is 103.5 per 100,000 people. Washington County also has the highest rate in the state over the course of the pandemic, while Smyth County’s rate is the second-highest.
The region’s new COVID case rate has also stalled recently at a high level. Southwest Virginia saw 128 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, leaving its rolling seven-day average of new cases per 100,000 at 275 — well over double Virginia’s average of 117.
After dropping sharply from mid-September through early October, the rate has dropped just 5% since Oct. 21, when it stood at 291. Virginia’s statewide rate has declined 20% during the same period, from 147 to 117.
The region’s deaths per 100,000 have been much higher than the state’s in October as well, though just one new death was reported Friday, in Dickenson County.
That rate is 37.0 regionally compared to 14.2 statewide.
Statewide, VDH reported 687,151 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth on Oct. 29.
According to VDH, the total number of confirmed and probable cases is 924,771.
VDH reports there have been 11,687 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths across the state.
Below is a complete breakdown of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Southwest Virginia.
Note: VDH does not report whether cases are active or recovered. County and community case totals can include active, recovered, confirmed and probable cases.
Bristol, Va. – 2,268 cases / 170 hospitalizations / 47 deaths (2 new cases, 4 new hospitalizations)
Buchanan County – 2,429 cases / 143 hospitalizations / 60 deaths (10 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Dickenson County – 1,663 cases / 59 hospitalizations / 27 deaths (11 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, 1 new death)
Lee County – 3,720 cases / 139 hospitalizations / 60 deaths (6 new cases)
Norton – 573 cases / 29 hospitalizations / 13 deaths (2 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Russell County – 3,798 cases / 158 hospitalizations / 63 deaths (11 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Scott County – 3,151 cases / 164 hospitalizations / 76 deaths (6 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Smyth County – 4,891 cases / 306 hospitalizations / 118 deaths (11 new cases)
Tazewell County – 5,715 cases / 221 hospitalizations / 105 deaths (20 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Washington County, Va. – 7,589 cases / 599 hospitalizations / 146 deaths (17 new cases, 2 new hospitalizations)
Wise County – 5,353 cases / 228 hospitalizations / 129 deaths (32 new cases)
For full coverage of the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, click HERE.
