Virginia's coronavirus cases have grown by nearly 3,000 in one week

RICHMOND — Two in five of Virginia’s confirmed coronavirus cases have come in the past week, a growth of nearly 3,000 cases.

Since last Friday, 2,982 more people have tested positive for the virus, according to data from the Virginia Department of Health. A lack of testing, though, among other factors, means the number of COVID-19 infections reported by the state health department is likely significantly lower than the actual number of cases.

The state has a total of 7,491 positive cases, according to VDH data, with 48,997 people tested.

Virginia, with its estimated 8.5 million population, per the U.S. Census Bureau, is the 12th most populous state in the country, but 21st in testing, according to an analysis of data reported by the COVID Tracking Project.

Virginia has tested 13,538 people since last Friday, good for an infection rate of 22%.

While testing lags, the number of cases isn’t the only statistic to spike in the past week. So has the state’s death count, which has nearly doubled from 121 on April 10 to 231 on Friday.

The death figure reported by the state health department is likely lower than the actual number of deaths.

According to VDH’s dashboard, which is updated daily, there have been 37 deaths in long-term care facilities, the result of 66 of the state’s 117 total outbreaks.

Canterbury Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in western Henrico County, however, has reported that 49 people at the facility have died from COVID-19 as of Thursday.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 patients who have been hospitalized and discharged surpassed 1,000 on Friday, climbing from 951 to 1,110 overnight, according to the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.

Patients in intensive care and on ventilators have fallen since last week, according to the association’s dashboard.

The Virginia Department of Health reported Friday that 7,491 people in Virginia have tested positive for COVID-19, an increase of 602 from the 6,889 reported Thursday.

A total of 231 people in Virginia have died from the virus, up 23 from the 208 reported yesterday.

The VDH also said that 48,997 have been tested for the virus in Virginia and 1,221 have been hospitalized.

On March 19, state health officials said there’s a lag in the reporting of statewide numbers on the VDH website. Figures on the website might not include cases or deaths reported by individual localities or local health districts.

– Paul Whelan

Source: www.dailyprogress.com