More good news with COVID-19 case, hospitalization, vaccine numbers

Good news for today: the number of new daily COVID-19 positives reported by the Virginia Department of Health is at its lowest level since Nov. 2.

The VDH COVID-19 dashboard reported 1,155 positives on Monday, bringing the Commonwealth’s seven-day average for COVID-19 positives to 1,962 – that figure being at its lowest level dating back to Nov. 19.

With the decline in positives, we’re also seeing a decline in COVID-related hospitalizations.

VDH reported 1,537 COVID hospitalizations today, down 62.0 percent from the Jan. 17 high of 4,041, and the lowest level since Nov. 24.

We’re seeing similar trends nationally.

The COVID Tracking Project reported 58,429 new COVID-19 positives on Sunday, and a seven-day average of 64,301 COVID positives.

For context, the seven-day average for the week ending Jan. 10, just six weeks ago, was 244,871 new COVID positives per day.

That’s a decrease of 73.7 percent – again, in a six-week period.

The COVID Tracking Project reported that there were 56,159 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: 57.4 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 1,121,215 Virginians have received at least one dose of the two-shot vaccines currently in circulation – 13.1 percent of the state’s population.

The CDC is reporting that that 43.6 million Americans have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot – 13.1 percent of the U.S. population.

Going to two shots – full vaccination – VDH is reporting 481,287 people in Virginia having received both doses, 5.6 percent, and the CDC is reporting 18.9 million nationally, 5.7 percent.

Story by Chris Graham