The number of new daily COVID-19 positives reported by the Virginia Department of Health is at its lowest level since Nov. 15.
The VDH COVID-19 dashboard reported 1,539 positives on Monday, bringing the Commonwealth’s seven-day average for COVID-19 positives to 2,959 – that figure being at its lowest level dating back to Dec. 6.
With the decline in positives, we’re also seeing a decline in COVID-related hospitalizations.
VDH reported 1,831 COVID hospitalizations today, down 54.7 percent from the Jan. 17 high of 4,041, and the lowest level since Dec. 1.
We’re seeing similar trends nationally.
The COVID Tracking Project reported 71,844 new COVID-19 positives on Sunday, and a seven-day average of 90,201 COVID positives.
For context, the seven-day average for the week ending Jan. 10, just five weeks ago, was 244,871 new COVID positives per day.
That’s a decrease of 63.2 percent – again, in a five-week period.
The COVID Tracking Project reported that there were 67,023 COVID-19 positive patients in hospitals nationally as of Sunday.
The high mark was back on Jan. 8, when there were 131,921 COVID patients in U.S. hospitals.
The decline: 49.2 percent.
Seasonality could be a factor there. The increasing pace of COVID-19 vaccinations could be another.
The VDH COVID-19 vaccine dashboard is reporting that 1,029,351 Virginians have received at least one dose of the two-shot vaccines currently in circulation – 12.1 percent of the state’s population.
The CDC is reporting that that 38.3 million Americans have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot – 11.6 percent of the U.S. population.
Going to two shots – full vaccination – VDH is reporting 337,968 people in Virginia having received both doses, 4.0 percent, and the CDC is reporting 14.1 million nationally, 4.3 percent.
Story by Chris Graham