By Randy Arrington
LURAY, April 25 — Based on cases per 100,000 residents, Page County now has a higher percentage of residents infected with COVID-19 than Fairfax County.
The Virginia Department of Health reported 52 new cases of the novel coronavirus in Page County on Saturday morning, with one new hospitalization. That brings Page’s total number of cases to 82. Based on a calculation of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents, Page now sits at a rate of 0.3 percent.
Fairfax County, with its much larger population and 2,745 reported COVID-19 cases (the most in Virginia by far for a single locality), only has 0.2 percent of its residents being diagnosed with the virus.
Efforts to reach health officials for an explanation behind Page’s overnight increase — the state’s largest one day jump in new cases per capita — was unsuccessful Saturday morning.
The VDH has not provided any further details about the recent spike in Page County, except for a press release issued Wednesday about one patient testing positive for COVID-19 at Skyview Springs Rehab and Nursing Center in Luray.
All patients and staff at the long term care facility were tested for COVID-19 on Wednesday. Those test results have not been made public.
As of Saturday morning, the VDH was reporting a total of 188 outbreaks across Virginia — 104 at long term care facilities, where there have been 1,095 reported cases and 86 deaths.
Virginia is now reporting a total of 12,366 cases of COVID-19 — up 772 since Friday — with 1,942 total hospitalizations (up 105 overnight). The state’s death toll from COVID-19 increased by 26 overnight and now totals 436.
The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association reports that as of Saturday morning, there are 1,405 patients currently hospitalized in the state with either confirmed cases of COVID-19 or are awaiting test results for the virus. Among those hospitalized in Virginia, 357 are in intensive care and 223 are on ventilators.
According to the VHHA, 1,717 patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been treated and released from state hospitals.
Across the Lord Fairfax Health District, 73 new cases of COVID-19 were reported Saturday, bringing the total to 329. Among those, 35 have been hospitalized. The health district reported its first death related to COVID-19 on Friday in Shenandoah County.
A breakdown of the total number of reported COVID-19 cases across the health district as of Saturday morning is (new cases reported Saturday):
- 93 — Frederick County (6)
- 82 — Page County (52)
- 72 — Shenandoah County (7)
- 42 — Warren County (6)
- 33 — City of Winchester (2)
- 7 — Clarke County (0)
Page’s 82 cases include nine hospitalizations, up one from Friday. Eleven cases in Frederick County have been hospitalized, and 10 in Shenandoah County.
Among the state’s top six jurisdictions with the highest number of COVID-19 cases, Fairfax County added the most new cases Saturday with 211. Here’s a breakdown of total cases among Virginia’s “hot spots” (hospitalizations – deaths):
- 2,745 — Fairfax County (481-90)
- 1,184 — Prince William County (120-19)
- 764 — Arlington County (139-29)
- 764 — Henrico County (115-89)
- 575 — Alexandria (80-18)
- 564 — Loudoun County (72-11)
No other jurisdiction in Virginia has more than 500 reported cases of COVID-19.
The City of Harrisonburg reported 25 news cases Saturday for a total of 370 — with 24 hospitalized and nine deaths. Rockingham County has 184 cases (eight new overnight) with 13 hospitalized and one death.
The number of cases continues to rise as testing increases in Virginia. A total of 72,178 people in the state have been tested for COVID-19 — including 3,163 on Friday and 4,497 Thursday.
To say I am am shocked is an understatement! What happened? Is this because nursing homes have now been tested? I realize there are HIPPA laws, but with this alarming increase, the public should know so we can avoid hazardous situations. Thank you.
I don’t believe the nursing homes have been allowing visitors for over a month-with the 2 week period before symptoms appear, I would not think a visitor is how this happened. I’m sure who, has not intentionally, carried this into this facility for some reason is a regular part of the building traffic. My concern is are patients and staff at the other 2 facilities owned by the the same company being tested, too. Many of these people living in assisted living/rehab have a compromised system to begin with-they need to be tested so they can get the care they need as quickly as possible. Hopes and prayers that they all recover.