Virginia Nov. 26 COVID-19 update: Va. on verge of breaking hospitalizations record, 2,600 cases, 21 new deaths reported

Posted: Nov 26, 2020 / 10:29 AM EST

Updated: Nov 26, 2020 / 10:34 AM EST

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — On Thanksgiving, Virginia’s number of current COVID-19 hospitalizations sits just under its record of 1,625 patients set back in May, and the commonwealth looks primed to pass that figure.

Statewide numbers:

New cases: (+2,600, 228,900 total), steep rise, more than double case levels of most of pandemic
Case incidence rate: 30.4 per 100K, trending up
New deaths (+21, 4,029 total), steady overall, but trending back up
Current hospitalizations (+52 patients, 1,601 total), trending up and near record
Testing (7.4% 7-day average of positive tests), trending up overall, Virginia averaging around 25,000 tests per day,

There are 1,601 patients hospitalized statewide for COVID-19, nearly double the patients of two months ago. ICU and ventilator use are also at their highest numbers in months.

The good news is health care workers have better treatment plans that help cut down on COVID-19 deaths, but outcomes can worsen the more taxed Virginia’s health care system is. There’s still ICU and surge ICU capacity, but more patients overall could mean less care for each.

Deaths, though down from earlier in the pandemic, have been consistently rising recently.

The increased metrics in Virginia and across the U.S. led to health experts urging people to make their Thanksgiving gatherings as small as possible (immediate households ideally) and limit travel. If you do gather with others outside your immediate home, outdoor gatherings have a much lower rate of a viral transmission — and it’s going to be a beautiful day to eat outside.

Metrics are rising sharply still nationwide, including deaths.

Our daily update is published. States reported 1.7 million tests, 183k cases, and 2,284 deaths. 90k people currently hospitalized with COVID-19, reaching a new all-time high for the 16th consecutive day. pic.twitter.com/yGeSTISpUe
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) November 26, 2020

Local cases

Metrics have been picking up here in Hampton Roads after trailing other regions of the commonwealth. Hospitalizations have been rising consistently. Deaths are still relatively low, but remember they lag cases.

Cumulative metrics

Accomack: 1,324 cases, 107 hospitalized, 21 deaths (+9 cases, 1 hospitalized)
Chesapeake: 6,220 cases, 527 hospitalized, 80 deaths (+58 cases, +2 hospitalized)
Franklin: 541 cases, 27 hospitalized, 16 deaths (+3 cases)
Gloucester: 424 cases, 19 hospitalized, 3 deaths (+1 case)
Hampton: 2,721 cases, 116 hospitalized, 34 deaths (+31 cases, 2 hospitalized)
Isle of Wight: 1,017 cases, 54 hospitalized, 28 deaths (+13 cases, +2 hospitalized)
James City County: 1,163 cases, 71 hospitalized, 22 deaths (+14 cases)
Mathews: 156 cases, 12 hospitalized, 1 death (+1 case)
Newport News: 3,913 cases, 142 hospitalized, 54 deaths (+22 cases, +9 hospitalized)
Norfolk: 6,401 cases, 457 hospitalized, 89 deaths (+23 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Northampton: 340 cases, 49 hospitalized, 31 deaths (no changes)
Poquoson: 140 cases, 3 hospitalized, 2 deaths (+4 cases)
Portsmouth: 3,156 cases, 350 hospitalized, 71 deaths (+20 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Southampton: 981 cases, 32 hospitalized, 40 deaths (+4 cases)
Suffolk: 2,708 cases, 160 hospitalized, 80 deaths (+30 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Virginia Beach: 10,474 cases, 526 hospitalized, 113 deaths (+87 cases)
Williamsburg: 285 cases, 17 hospitalized, 8 deaths (no change)
York: 875 cases, 27 hospitalized, 9 deaths (+8 cases)