RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Here’s the latest on the coronavirus pandemic for December 22, 2020:
The Virginia Department of Health reported 314,481 cases of COVID-19 — 268,472 confirmed and 46,009 probable — Tuesday. The death toll is now at 4,705.
Virginia Hospitals and Healthcare Association reported 28,175 people with the virus have been released from the hospital.
A total of 1,836 outbreaks in the state has contributed to 41,727 COVID-19 cases.
With about 80% of its ICU beds filled, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System will implement tighter restrictions on patient visitation Tuesday by limiting visits for adults without COVID-19 from noon to 8 p.m. only.
The current policy at VCU Health’s hospital in Richmond allows for only one person to visit a non-COVID-19 patient between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The impending change on Tuesday will cut that window by four hours, VCU Health spokeswoman Laura Rossacher told 8News’ Kerri O’Brien.
Dr. David Lanning, the interim chief medical officer for VCU Medical Center, said the system has over 70 COVID-19 patients as of Monday and will have to reschedule some elective surgeries and shift an unknown number of appointments to telemedicine due to growing concerns over the strain on the hospital’s ICU.
TESTING LOCATIONS NEAR YOU
CHESTERFIELD
- Monday, Dec. 28 – 1 to 3 p.m. Second Baptist Church, 5100 West Hundred Road
- Tuesdays: Dec. 22 and 29 – 10 a.m. to noon. Walmsley United Methodist Church, 2950 Walmsley Blvd.
- Wednesdays: Dec. 30 – 10 a.m. to noon. St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, 4400 Beulah Road
- Thursday: Dec. 31 – 10 a.m. to noon. Walmsley United Methodist Church, 2950 Walmsley Blvd.
Flu vaccines are also available everyday Monday-Friday throughout December (closed on the 24th and 25th), 8:00am-4:30pm at Richmond City Health District (400 E Cary St, Richmond, VA 23220).
LOCAL COVID-19 CASES
- Charles City County: 300 cases, 9 deaths
- Chesterfield County: 16,641 cases, 193 deaths
- City of Colonial Heights: 876 cases, 30 deaths
- City of Hopewell: 1,356 cases, 12 deaths
- City of Petersburg: 2,125 cases, 35 deaths
- City of Richmond: 11,416 cases, 118 deaths
- Dinwiddie County: 1,260 cases, 17 deaths
- Goochland County: 877 cases, 7 deaths
- Hanover County: 5,171 cases, 83 deaths
- Henrico County: 16,163 cases, 316 deaths
- New Kent County: 888 cases, 7 death
- Powhatan County: 1,151 cases, 6 deaths
- Many 8News viewers have been asking how and where do you sign up to get your vaccination?
- The latest GRTC coronavirus testing event found three more cases of COVID-19 among the transit company's workforce. The event was held on Jan. 14.
- The United States topped more than 400,000 deaths from coronavirus on the eve of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration.
- As millions anxiously wait for the COVID-19 vaccine, a Kansas City psychiatrist is accused of helping people cut in line. It's a move that could have put some healthy people months ahead of those at risk.
- Florida's former data scientist who turned herself in to authorities after a warrant was issued for her arrest says she tested positive for coronavirus while she was in jail.
- Chesterfield County Public Schools has not received the full order of COVID-19 vaccines it needs to vaccinate teachers and staff, according to an announcement from superintendent Mervin B. Daugherty.
- Like so much else in the pandemic, the scientific picture of so-called long-haulers is still developing. It’s not clear how prevalent long-term COVID problems are or why some patients keep suffering while others do not.
- RICHMOND, Va. (WFXR) — On Tuesday morning, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced the launch of a COVID-19 dashboard dedicated to virus outbreaks at Virginia higher education facilities. According to health officials, the dashboard includes confirmed outbreaks among public and private colleges and universities that have been reported to VDH since Aug. 1, 2020. […]
- Today is the last day for Chesterfield parents to decide whether or not they want to send their children back into the classroom or continue virtual learning.
- California on Monday became the first state to record more than 3 million known coronavirus infections.
