Virginia Sept. 15 COVID-19 update: 52 new COVID deaths reported, deaths at highest level since March

Posted: Sep 15, 2021 / 01:44 PM EDT

Updated: Sep 15, 2021 / 04:46 PM EDT

Posted: Sep 15, 2021 / 01:44 PM EDT

Updated: Sep 15, 2021 / 04:46 PM EDT

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia reported 52 new COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday and is reporting its highest levels of COVID deaths on average (28 per day) since March.

Hospitalizations (2,155 patients currently, 537 in ICU) are at February levels and trending up overall.

Overall the U.S. is reporting about 1,900 deaths per day, which is also the highest since March.

Nearly all deaths, as well as hospitalizations and cases, have been in unvaccinated people. Though some breakthrough hospitalizations/deaths have been reported. You can view that data here.

Sentara officials said Tuesday in a desperate plea to the public that many people who are getting seriously ill and dying have comorbidities such as diabetes and obesity, but they’re shocked by just how many people are younger (in their 30s, 40s and 50s).

A Norfolk cardiologist told WAVY he’s been seeing younger people as well and says that even though younger people might survive COVID, they could have longterm effects such as long COVID and heart issues. He says he’s encouraged by recent vaccinations, but he’s urging everyone to vaccinated and not let their guard down.

Seven of the 52 deaths reported Wednesday alone were in Hampton, where about 18.5% of tests are coming back positive on average. Just 53.5% of Hampton adults are fully vaccinated, Virginia Department of Health data shows. Only 34.4% of eligible children are fully vaccinated.

State metrics

New cases (+4,066, 818,804 total), 3,630 per day on average and going up overall (highest since Feb.)
Avg. of new cases per 100k of population: 42.6
New deaths (+52, 12,170 total), 28 per day on average, up significantly on average from earlier this summer, highest since March
Current hospitalizations (+38 patients, 2,155 total currently, 2,146 7-day average and rising overall (highest since Feb.)
Test positivity: 10.5% (16.8% in Hampton Roads)
Vaccine doses administered: 10,204,734
Percent of population with at least one dose: 65.6% (5,596,532 people overall)
Percent of adults (18+) with at least one dose: 77.8%
Percent of population fully vaccinated: 58.1% (4,961,338 people overall)
Percent of adults fully vaccinated: 69.3%

Here’s the breakdown of demographic data for Hampton. You can search for every local city/county on VDH’s site by using the dropdown tab on the vaccine demographics section of the dashboard.

Hampton (53.5% of adults vaccinated) and Newport News (54.3% of adults vaccinated) have similar vaccine statistics, and have higher vaccination rates than Norfolk (44.6% of adults vaccinated) and Portsmouth (49.1% of adults vaccinated), the two lowest cities in terms of vaccination rates.

Both cities have relatively poor vaccination rates for all demographics.

Suffolk (56.5% of adults vaccinated) has more than 50% of its black population vaccinated, which is actually slightly higher than its white population. The number of vaccinated black people in Suffolk (50.5%) is the only demographic percentage in the seven Hampton Roads cities that meets the average state level percentages for vaccine race data.

Suffolk’s Latino population is only 41.6% vaccinated. Vaccination rates for the white population in other Hampton Roads cities is higher than the black and Latino populations, sometimes significantly. The vaccination rates for Latinos (64.8%) and Native Americans (94.7%) are actually much higher than black (50.4%) and white (55.7%) vaccination rates statewide.

State level demographic data (demographic specific data doesn’t include federal doses, which makes data slightly different compared to overall vaccine data listed under “state metrics.”)

All eligible people vaccinated: 64.9%
Adults vaccinated: 66%
Eligible children vaccinated: 53.5%
Ages 65-plus vaccinated: 82%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 76.9%
Black: 50.4%
Latino: 64.8%
Native American: 94.7%
White: 55.7%

Local vaccine data for 7 cities

Chesapeake

All eligible people vaccinated: 56.1%
Adults vaccinated: 57.6%
Eligible children vaccinated: 42.3%
Ages 65-plus vaccinated: 82.3%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 68.8%
Black: 48.4%
Latino: 46.2%
Native American: 57.2%
White: 52.3%

Hampton

All eligible people vaccinated: 51.9%
Adults vaccinated: 53.5%
Eligible children vaccinated: 34.4%
Ages 65-plus vaccinated: 78.5%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 63.2%
Black: 45.5%
Latino: 37%
Native American: 54.2%
White: 51.2%

Newport News

All eligible people vaccinated: 52.7%
Adults vaccinated: 54.3%
Eligible children vaccinated: 34.7%
Ages 65-plus vaccinated: 81.7%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 62.1%
Black: 43.8%
Latino: 40.9%
Native American: 61%
White: 49.7%

Norfolk

All eligible people vaccinated: 44.2%
Adults vaccinated: 44.6%
Eligible children vaccinated: 37.9%
Ages 65-plus vaccinated: 77%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 51.7%
Black: 36.3%
Latino: 38.3%
Native American: 44%
White: 43.3%

Portsmouth

All eligible people vaccinated: 47.7%
Adults vaccinated: 49.1%
Eligible children vaccinated: 32.8%
Ages 65-plus vaccinated: 74.2%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 55.9%
Black: 42%
Latino: 35.9%
Native American: 32.2%
White: 45.9%

Suffolk

All eligible people vaccinated: 54.9%
Adults vaccinated: 56.5%
Eligible children vaccinated: 40%
Ages 65-plus vaccinated: 81.6%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 68.6%
Black: 50.5%
Latino: 41.6%
Native American: 76.7%
White: 50.4%

Virginia Beach

All eligible people vaccinated: 58.3%
Adults vaccinated: 59.3%
Eligible children vaccinated: 47.4%
Ages 65-plus vaccinated: 81%

Asian/Pacific Islander: 66.7%
Black: 46.8%
Latino: 45.8%
Native American: 89.9%
White: 55.1%

Local cases

Accomack: 3,533 cases, 268 hospitalized, 61 deaths (+4 cases, +3 deaths)
Chesapeake: 26,012 cases, 1,196 hospitalized, 322 deaths (+111 cases +3 hospitalized)
Franklin: 1,366 cases, 66 hospitalized, 38 deaths (+5 cases)
Gloucester: 3,304 cases, 82 hospitalized, 54 deaths (+29 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Hampton: 13,460 cases, 599 hospitalized, 206 deaths (+59 cases, +6 hospitalized, +7 deaths)
Isle of Wight: 3,852 cases, 187 hospitalized, 74 deaths (+26 cases)
James City County: 6,051 cases, 223 hospitalized, 85 deaths (+35 cases, +3 hospitalized, +3 deaths)
Mathews: 786 cases, 28 hospitalized, 15 deaths (+3 cases)
Newport News: 18,299 cases, 695 hospitalized, 258 deaths (+63 cases, +2 hospitalized, +4 hospitalized)
Norfolk: 22,069 cases, 1,340 hospitalized, 296 deaths (+117 cases, +6 hospitalized, +1 death)
Northampton: 982 cases, 92 hospitalized, 38 deaths (+12 cases, +1 hospitalized)
Poquoson: 1,115 cases, 31 hospitalized, 18 deaths (+10 cases)
Portsmouth: 11,269 cases, 809 hospitalized, 214 deaths (+57 cases, +2 hospitalized)
Southampton: 2,168 cases, 72 hospitalized, 58 deaths (+3 cases)
Suffolk: 9,742 cases, 602 hospitalized, 204 deaths (+46 cases, +5 hospitalized)
Virginia Beach: 45,203 cases, 2,333 hospitalized, 460 deaths (+213 cases, +7 hospitalized, +1 death)
Williamsburg: 999 cases, 38 hospitalized, 14 deaths (+7 cases)
York: 4,772 cases, 111 hospitalized, 63 deaths (+20 cases, +1 hospitalized, +1 death)