RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) — Southwest Virginia’s rate of new COVID-19 cases reached its lowest rate since Aug. 13 Monday while remaining more than twice the state average.
The region’s COVID hospitalization rate remained at more than quadruple the state average with the reporting of 14 new hospitalizations. Six new COVID-19 deaths were reported: two in Washington County and one each in Buchanan, Russell, Scott and Tazewell counties.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported a total of 193 new cases in the nine-county area over the three-day period from Saturday through Monday. That dropped the seven-day rolling average to 241 new cases per 100,000 from 275 on Friday.
The state’s rate dropped to 108 from 117 on Friday.
Hospitalization and death reporting lag behind the actual occurrences, but reporting of those numbers remained higher than the state figures as well — particularly a recent trend of very high COVID-19 hospitalizations being reported in Washington County, Smyth County and Bristol, Virginia.
Regionally, the hospitalization rate per 100,000 is 23.1 over the past seven days, compared to 5.3 statewide. In the two months since Sept. 1, the hospitalization rate of 142.3 per 100,000 regionally is well more than double the state rate of 60.8.
It’s nearly triple the state rate since Oct. 1 — 70.7 regionally to 25.1 statewide.
Washington County and Bristol accounted for 12 of the 14 new hospitalizations reported over the weekend. Washington and Smyth counties rank first and second among Virginia’s 95 counties for hospitalizations per 100,000 over the course of the pandemic.
The five new reported deaths leave the region’s rolling seven-day rate of deaths per 100,000 at 6.6. That’s the lowest it’s been since late September but is more than double the state rate of 2.8.
Statewide, VDH reported 689,224 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth on Nov. 1.
According to VDH, the total number of confirmed and probable cases is 927,999.
VDH reports there have been 11,737 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths across the state.
Below is a complete breakdown of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in Southwest Virginia over the past three days.
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. – 2,276 cases / 174 hospitalizations / 47 deaths (8 new cases, 4 new hospitalizations)
Buchanan County – 2,436 cases / 143 hospitalizations / 61 deaths (7 new cases, 1 new death)
Dickenson County – 1,680 cases / 59 hospitalizations / 27 deaths (17 new cases)
Lee County – 3,726 cases / 139 hospitalizations / 60 deaths (6 new cases)
Norton – 577 cases / 29 hospitalizations / 13 deaths (4 new cases)
Russell County – 3,807 cases / 158 hospitalizations / 64 deaths (9 new cases, 1 new death)
Scott County – 3,175 cases / 165 hospitalizations / 77 deaths (24 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, 1 new death)
Smyth County – 4,921 cases / 310 hospitalizations / 118 deaths (30 new cases, 4 new hospitalizations)
Tazewell County – 5,738 cases / 221 hospitalizations / 106 deaths (23 new cases, 1 new death)
Washington County, Va. – 7,617 cases / 607 hospitalizations / 148 deaths (28 new cases, 8 new hospitalizations, 2 new deaths)
Wise County – 5,390 cases / 229 hospitalizations / 129 deaths (37 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
For full coverage of the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, click HERE.
