RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) — The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported 192 new COVID-19 cases across Southwest Virginia’s nine counties Friday — leaving the hard-hit region’s new case rate nearly unchanged from a week ago and still more than double Virginia’s overall rate.

That elevated rate – 475 new cases per 100,000 population compared to 221 statewide — also continued to play out in hospitalization and death rates.

Since Sept. 1, Southwest Virginians have been hospitalized at double the population-adjusted rate of Virginians as a whole. COVID deaths during that period have been reported at nearly triple the state rate.

Four new deaths were reported Friday — two in Bristol and one each in Russell and Smyth counties.

That left the rate of deaths per 100,000 population at close to quadruple the state’s over the past seven days and almost triple since Sept. 1. The Sept. 1 through Oct. 8 figures are 40.8 deaths per 100,000 regionally and 14.0 statewide.

Smyth, Scott and Wise counties all have population-adjusted COVID death rates that are in the top 10 among the state’s 95 counties over the course of the pandemic.

Five new hospitalizations were also reported – one each in Buchanan, Russell, Scott, Tazewell and Washington counties.

Washington County has the state’s highest hospitalization rate over the course of the pandemic, and since Sept. 1 the region’s rate of 85.7 new hospitalizations per 100,000 is more than double the state’s rate of 42.2.

The 192 new COVID-19 cases reported Friday were led by Washington and Wise counties at 40 and 38 new COVID-19 cases respectively.

But it’s Smyth County, just east of Washington County, that’s recording the highest current seven-day spread rate. Its rate rose back above 800 Friday, climbing to 804.

Smyth County has been in the top 100 of the U.S.’s counties in spread rate for more than a week according to a New York Times database. Thursday it ranked 40th at 764 new weekly cases per 100,000.

Statewide, VDH reported 662,979 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth on Oct. 8.

According to VDH, the total number of confirmed and probable cases is 888,159.

VDH reports there have been 11,025 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths across the state.

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. – 2,191 cases / 157 hospitalizations / 47 deaths (3 new cases, 2 new deaths)
Buchanan County – 2,230 cases / 137 hospitalizations / 54 deaths (12 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Dickenson County – 1,518 cases / 54 hospitalizations / 24 deaths (11 new cases)
Lee County – 3,538 cases / 136 hospitalizations / 56 deaths (13 new cases)
Norton – 527 cases / 28 hospitalizations / 12 deaths (6 new cases)
Russell County – 3,555 cases / 149 hospitalizations / 54 deaths (15 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, 1 new death)
Scott County – 2,874 cases / 159 hospitalizations / 72 deaths (11 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Smyth County – 4,493 cases / 265 hospitalizations / 108 deaths (27 new cases, 1 new death)
Tazewell County – 5,453 cases / 217 hospitalizations / 94 deaths (16 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Washington County, Va. – 7,192 cases / 543 hospitalizations / 136 deaths (40 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Wise County – 4,883 cases / 220 hospitalizations / 122 deaths (38 new cases)

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