New COVID-19 cases dipped, according to data provided by the Virginia Department of Health Wednesday morning. But the number of reported test results also remained low and far from the state's target of 10,000 tests a day.
Virginia recorded 622 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, bringing the state's total to 14,961. That's a smaller increase than the 804 new cases reported Tuesday.
But the number of test results also remained low for the second straight day. Only 2,554 new test results were entered into the VDH data, bringing Virginia's total to 85,307. That's far below the 10,000 a day goal set by state officials. On Monday, Governor Ralph Northam touted the 4,000 daily test results seen then as "a good step forward."
Northam has been under increasing pressure to explain why Virginia's testing has not increased. A Tuesday statement from House of Delegates Republican leader Todd Gilbert noted that Virginia's testing rate is among the lowest in the nation. "Something is fundamentally different -- and possibly wrong -- with the way Virginia’s testing is being handled," Gilbert wrote. "Virginians deserve answers, and they deserve them now.” In his Wednesday afternoon news briefing, Northam said there would be a comprehensive update on testing capacity and strategy during Friday's briefing. Northam also said the state is expecting to receive 200,000 testing swabs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Thirty additional deaths from COVID-19 were reported in Wednesday's data, bringing the state's total to 522. 94 additional hospitalizations were also reported, bringing that total to 2,259. Hospitalization data from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association has also been trending up over recent days.
Non-emergency medical, dental and veterinary procedures to resume
In his Wednesday afternoon briefing, Governor Northam said medical, dental and veterinary facilities will be allowed to resume non-emergency procedures on Friday.
Northam said the prohibition has worked to achieve its goals of preserving stockpiles of Personal Protective Equipment and clear hospital capacity for a potential surge of COVID-19 patients. The Chair of the Virginia Hospital and Health Care Association, Dr. Michael McDermott, said instituting the prohibition was absolutely the right decision at the time it was made.
Northam said professional associations have been working for weeks on policies and procedures to increase safety and prevent additional COVID-19 infections. Dental offices, for instance, will employ masks and additional PPE, minimize or eliminate patient waiting areas, screen for symptoms and increase sanitation between patient procedures. McDermott emphasized that people who need medical care should not be afraid to get it.
Is Virginia on track to begin reopening May 8th
Northam said two of the thresholds needed to resume non-emergency medical procedures are also needed for broader reopening plans. Both factors-- hospital capacity and PPE supply-- have been met.
Northam was less direct regarding other factors. He said state officials are looking at trends in data, not individual days or blips. So a one-day spike in cases or drop in testing would not necessarily restart the 14-day timeline recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. Nevertheless, Northam said trends have not flattened out in all sections of Virginia.
Northam said state officials and a business advisory council are still in the planning stages of a specific reopening plan.
Zip code level data
Northam and state health commissioner Dr. Norm Oliver said the health department will being providing case data on a zip code level within the next few days.
