Henrico now averaging its most new daily COVID-19 cases during pandemic
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The spread of COVID-19 in Henrico County is greater than it’s ever been, following four consecutive days with more than 245 new confirmed cases apiece.
Henrico is now averaging 290 new daily cases during the past seven days – its highest average ever, up from 130 one week ago and 103 two weeks ago. Prior to the past three days, the county’s previous high daily average was 241 Jan. 20.
Henrico reported 434 new cases Christmas Day – breaking its all-time single-day record of 414 that had been set one day earlier. Lower testing totals during the Christmas holiday likely resulted in fewer confirmed cases Sunday (331) and Monday (246).
Hospitalizations and deaths, two metrics that typically lag days or weeks behind cases, remain low in Henrico; the county continues to average just about one new virus-related hospitalization and less than half a new death per day (though it did report single deaths on Christmas Eve and Christmas day). Health officials believe the Omicron variant (now believed to be responsible for more than 75% of all new cases in the region and nationally) may produce less severe outcomes in most people who are infected, though they're still unsure whether that is true in a vacuum or if the data is skewed by the fact that many who have been infected by it have some level of immunity through vaccination or previous infection.
About 892 people per 100,000 in Henrico have tested positive in the past 14 days – about 104 more than the state average during that time, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
Henrico’s seven-day positivity percentage among PCR testing encounters as of Dec. 23 (the most recent day on record) was 13.5%, while its percentage among rapid testing encounters was 16.9%. Both were the highest they’ve been in nearly one year, though the PCR rate is 1% lower than the statewide average. (The county’s rapid rate is 3% higher.)
Access to testing has become a valued commodity as people sought to be tested prior to the Christmas holiday and now after. Many local stores that carry at-home testing kits are sold out of them, and appointments for in-person testing regionally are filling quickly, too. The Richmond and Henrico Health Districts have two scheduled walk-up testing events this week: Dec. 28 at Second Baptist Church, 3300 Broad Rock Boulevard in Richmond, and Dec. 29 at the Eastern Henrico Recreation Center, 1440 North Laburnum Avenue, both from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m..
The RHHD also is continuing to offer COVID-19 vaccines at a number of walk-up events; most spots are closed through Jan. 2, but the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond will be open several days this week.
To date, a total of 241,533 Henricoans (or 73% of the county's citizens) have received at least one dose of vaccine, while 217,726 of them are fully vaccinated and more than 84,100 (about 25% of the population) have received booster shots.
