Virginia Beach sets record for new coronavirus cases
With 419 additional positives, city’s count rises to 18,811
VIRGINIA BEACH — The Virginia Department of Health reported a record number of new coronavirus cases in Virginia Beach on Thursday — 419.
That brings the city’s total throughout the pandemic to 18,811. The city’s highest number of cases reported had been 373 on Sunday, followed by 351 on New Year’s Day.
The health department also reported three more deaths in Virginia Beach, bringing the city’s total to 162. Officials from the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health said the increase is not due to a backlog.
“What Virginia Beach is seeing each day seems to be on an upward trend,” clinic administrative manager Caitlin Leonard wrote in an email. “Virginia Beach received over 400 positive labs yesterday, which resulted in the new case count of 419. We believe it may be the beginning of the post-holiday surge.”
Statewide, 5,379 new cases were reported Thursday morning, bringing Virginia’s total to 382,679. Of those, 317,123 are confirmed and 65,556 are probable.
No other Hampton Roads localities set records Thursday, but the number of new cases reported included 81 in Hampton, 89 in Newport News, 98 in Chesapeake, 100 in Portsmouth and 152 in Norfolk, according to the health department.
The increases come three weeks after the first COVID19 vaccines were given in Hampton Roads.
At a news conference Wednesday, Gov. Ralph Northam said Virginia hopes to immunize every
one who wants a coronavirus vaccine before the end of the year.
The state has received 481,550 total doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and over 116,200 shots have been given. Roughly 24% of the doses the state has obtained over the course of three weeks have been administered.
Northam said some residents have asked when it will be their turn to get vaccinated, and reminded Virginians that front line
health care workers, including emergency medical technicians, and long-term care residents were prioritized during the first round of vaccinations.
“For now, unless you work in healthcare or live or work in a nursing home, you don’t do anything. It’s not yet your time,” Northam said. “But it will be soon.”