RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) — Southwest Virginia’s reported COVID-19 deaths continued at a much higher rate than the state Tuesday, while the rural region’s new case rate also separated further from the declining state rate.
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported 132 net new cases in News Channel 11’s nine-county Southwest Virginia viewing area on Tuesday.
The seven-day average of new cases per 100,000 rose slightly, from 346 Monday to 352. The state saw its rate drop to 163 from 167 Monday.
Smyth and Scott counties both had new case rates Monday that ranked among the top 30 nationally out of more than 3,000 counties in a New York Times database. Wise County was also in the top 100 Monday.
Seven new COVID deaths were recorded on Tuesday, with Wise county reporting one and Lee, Tazewell and Washington counties each reporting two.
That was more than 13% of the state’s total for the day of 52, even though the region only has 3.4% of the population.
Since Sept. 1, Southwest Virginia has accounted for 9.4% of the state’s 1,658 total COVID deaths — a rate that’s 2.8 times its share of the population.
The region has also surpassed the deaths per 100,000 rate in neighboring Northeast Tennessee. The rate since Sept. 1 is 53.9 in Southwest Virginia, 51.0 in Northeast Tennessee, 34.8 in Tennessee and 19.4 in Virginia.
Bristol also reported one fewer hospitalization but the region had five net new hospitalizations for COVID. Its seven-day rate rose to 21.1 in that category, almost three-and-a-half times the state’s rate of 6.2.
Statewide, VDH reported 676,927 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth on Oct. 19.
According to VDH, the total number of confirmed and probable cases is 909,499.
VDH reports there have been 11,385 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths across the state.
Note: VDH does not report whether cases are active or recovered. County and community case totals can include active, recovered, confirmed and probable cases.
Bristol, Va. – 2,234 cases / 161 hospitalizations / 47 deaths (-1 case, -1 hospitalization)
Buchanan County – 2,331 cases / 140 hospitalizations / 59 deaths (5 new cases, 2 new hospitalizations)
Dickenson County – 1,583 cases / 55 hospitalizations / 26 deaths (8 new cases)
Lee County – 3,657 cases / 138 hospitalizations / 59 deaths (18 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, 2 new deaths)
Norton – 557 cases / 28 hospitalizations / 13 deaths (4 new cases)
Russell County – 3,683 cases / 152 hospitalizations / 58 deaths (11 new cases)
Scott County – 3,050 cases / 162 hospitalizations / 75 deaths (12 new cases)
Smyth County – 4,737 cases / 283 hospitalizations / 113 deaths (20 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Tazewell County – 5,583 cases / 220 hospitalizations / 98 deaths (4 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, 2 new deaths)
Washington County, Va. – 7,425 cases / 571 hospitalizations / 141 deaths (23 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, 2 new deaths)
Wise County – 5,126 cases / 226 hospitalizations / 126 deaths (28 new cases, 1 new death)
For full coverage of the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, click HERE.
