Virginia hits highest level of weekly COVID-19 cases since late May

The number of new coronavirus cases continued to rise statewide this week, and Northern Virginia has seen a recent small uptick as well, according to Friday's report from the Virginia Department of Health.

The health department reported 1,127 new cases statewide Friday, bringing the weekly total to 6,931, the highest level since the week ending May 29. In Northern Virginia, 203 new cases were reported, bringing the region's weekly total to 1,310, its highest level since the week ending June 12. 

Hospitalizations also continued to rise statewide, along with the number of patients being treated in intensive care units and on ventilators.  All of those numbers are at the highest levels since early June, although Northern Virginia hospitalizations have remained significantly lower than they were at their late-April peak and have not seen a notable increase recently. 

The eastern region of the state has been hit hardest in July, adding 496 cases Friday, or about 44% of the state's total.  The eastern region also has the most patients hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19, with 454. 

Virginia reported 13 new coronavirus-related deaths Friday, with four in Northern Virginia. Overall, the state has reported 2,067 deaths, with slightly less than half, 1,017, in Northern Virginia and nearly a quarter, 513, in Fairfax County.

Testing statewide has significantly increased in recent weeks, with the seven-day average of diagnostic test results reported by the health department now at 16,553, its highest level since the pandemic began.  That means as many tests are being conducted each day as were conducted during almost the entire first month of the outbreak.  

However, the increase in testing has resulted in delays in processing, which has made contract tracing difficult. 

The health department's COVID-19 data is updated each morning by 10 a.m. and includes reports by local health agencies before 5 p.m. the previous day.  

LATEST COVID-19 DATA

New Cases/Deaths

• Northern Virginia: 203 new cases, 4 new deaths

• Statewide: 1,127 new cases, 13 new deaths

• Statewide Testing: 18,043 diagnostic tests

Overall Total

• Northern Virginia: 35,984 cases, 1,013 deaths

• Statewide: 82,364 cases, 2,067 deaths

• Statewide Testing: 987,188 diagnostic tests (1.09 million when including antibody tests)

• Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) cases: 8 

*Provided by Virginia Department of Health

Statewide Hospital and Nursing Home Data

• Hospitalizations: 1,250 (up from 1,218 the previous day, highest since June 4)

• Peak Hospitalizations: 1,625 reached May 8

• Patients in ICU: 274 (up from 257 the previous day and highest since June 14)

• Patients Discharged: 10,576 total

• Nursing Home Patients: 423 confirmed positive cases (down from 436 the previous day)

*Provided by Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association

U.S. | World Data

• U.S.: 144,308 deaths, 4.04 million cases, 1.23 million recovered

• World: 634,069 deaths, 15.53 million cases, 8.88 million recovered

*Provided by Johns Hopkins University

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