RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The coronavirus continues to spread in Virginia with 854 new cases of COVID-19 reported since yesterday.
The Virginia Department of Health now says there have been 159,570 cases across the Commonwealth since the start of the pandemic, 150,321 of these are confirmed.
The 7-day testing average stayed steady at 4.6 percent.
There are currently 3,361 deaths associated with the virus, 3,121 confirmed and 239 probable. Today there are 965 patients in the hospital battling the virus — 41 more patients than yesterday.
COVID-19 at local universities
Virginia Commonwealth University
As of Oct. 9, the college has reported:
- 19 active student cases and 5 active employee cases of COVID-19.
- 6 students are in isolation on campus.
- 29 students are in quarantine on campus.
As of Oct. 8, here is what the college has reported:
- 24 total cases and 4 active cases of COVID-19.
- The university said the monthly testing positivity rate is 11%.
- 0.5% cumulative testing positivity rate.
The university’s dashboard as of Oct. 9 shows that:
- 29 total (students and employees) active cases.
- 1,511 people have recovered from the virus since July.
- Read about one JMU student’s experience with COVID-19 here.
Upcoming COVID-19 testing events
RICHMOND
- Monday, October 12, 19 and 26 — Cornerstone AG Church 4 to 5 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 13, 20 and 27 — United Methodist Church 4 to 5 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 14 — St. Augustine Catholic Church 10 to 11 a.m.
- Thursday, October 15, 22 and 29 — Cornerstone AG Church, 4 to 5 p.m.
CHESTERFIELD
- Friday, October 16 — Beulah United Methodist Church 10 to 11 a.m.
- Saturday, October 10, 17, 24 and 31 — Faith and Family Church 5 to 6 p.m.
- Saturday, October 31 — Southside Community Service Center 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
FREDERICKSBURG
- Saturday, October 17 — Hugh Mercer Elementary, 2100 Cowan Blvd, Fredericksburg, Va, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
- Saturday, October 24— Lewis and Clark Elementary, 18101 Clark and York Blvd, Ruther Glen, Va, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Local coronavirus cases
Chesterfield and Henrico county were tied for the largest increase in the last 24 hours with 32 new reported cases of COVID-19 each. The region saw no new reported COVID-19 deaths.
- Charles City County: 88 cases, 5 death
- Chesterfield County: 6,396 cases, 98 deaths
- City of Colonial Heights: 273 cases, 26 deaths
- City of Hopewell: 446 cases, 7 deaths
- City of Richmond: 4,945 cases, 62 deaths
- Dinwiddie County: 442 cases, 11 deaths
- Goochland County: 301 cases, 7 deaths
- Hanover County: 1,453 cases, 40 deaths
- Henrico County: 5,782 cases, 221 deaths
- New Kent County: 252 cases, 3 death
- Powhatan County: 256 cases, 5 deaths
- A new faith-based vaccination program has been initiated by Henrico County and Richmond City leaders to identify underrepresented populations who need information on how to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Many have asked whether you can get COVID-19 in between vaccine doses. The answer is yes.
- “The longer one waits not getting vaccinated, the better chance the virus has to get a variant or a mutation.”
- The Virginia Department of Health reported 2,036 new cases of COVID-19, up 129 from the previous day's numbers. 156 more deaths also in Thursday's data.
- Walmart is taking a different approach for COVID-19 vaccinations.
- A doctor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham believes the United States could reach herd immunity in the fight against COVID-19 in late spring or early summer.
- Additional pharmacy networks will begin giving out the COVID-19 vaccine to those 65 and up in Virginia this week as part of a federal partnership, the Virginia Department of Health announced Wednesday.
- The new variant, which shares similarities with that of one discovered first in South Africa, was first identified in samples collected in New York in November, and by mid-February represented about 12% of cases.
- A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that some indoor exercise facilities may have trouble preventing the spread of COVID-19 among exercisers.
- A real-world test of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine in more than half a million people confirms that it’s very effective at preventing serious illness or death, even after one dose.
