RICHMOND, Va. (WFXR) — Virginia health officials reported 18,309 new COVID-19 cases — the second-largest single-day case spike of the entire pandemic — and nine new virus-related deaths on Friday, which brings the Commonwealth’s total coronavirus count up to 1,221,036 confirmed and probable cases and 15,651 confirmed and probable deaths.

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) confirmed 875,944 cases and 13,069 deaths are related to the virus as of Friday, Jan. 7. However, 345,092 cases and 2,582 deaths are still reported as “probable.”

Following Friday’s update, VDH data shows that nine of the 10 biggest case spikes of the entire pandemic are just from the last two weeks:

  1. 19,506 new cases on Jan. 2, 2022
  2. 18,309 new cases on Jan. 7, 2022
  3. 17,618 new cases on Dec. 31, 2021
  4. 15,840 new cases on Jan. 6, 2022
  5. 15,449 new cases on Jan. 4, 2022
  6. 14,712 new cases on Jan. 1, 2022
  7. 13,500 new cases on Dec. 30, 2021
  8. 12,112 new cases on Dec. 29, 2021
  9. 10,728 new cases on Jan. 5, 2022
  10. 9,914 new cases on Jan. 17, 2021

Meanwhile, the department says the seven-day testing positivity rate for all types of COVID-19 tests has increased from 31.4 percent to 32.4 percent over the past 24 hours.

Health officials reported 18,309 new COVID-19 cases, 301 new virus-related hospitalizations, and nine new virus-related deaths around the Commonwealth between Jan. 6, 2022 and Jan. 7, 2022. (Photo: Courtesy Virginia Department of Health)

According to VDH’s Friday count, more than 174,000 cases have been reported from the following localities in southwest and central Virginia:

  • Alleghany County: 2,583 cases (+8), 88 hospitalizations, and 88 deaths
  • Amherst County: 5,146 cases (+46), 250 hospitalizations (+1), and 63 deaths
  • Appomattox County: 2,837 cases (+10), 136 hospitalizations (+2), and 38 deaths
  • Bath County: 610 cases (+11), 20 hospitalizations, and 15 deaths
  • Bedford County: 12,028 cases (+107), 472 hospitalizations (+5), and 176 deaths
  • Bland County: 1,227 cases (+15), 54 hospitalizations, and 18 deaths
  • Botetourt County: 5,097 cases (+39), 108 hospitalizations, and 66 deaths
  • Buena Vista: 1,557 cases (+6), 36 hospitalizations, and 34 deaths
  • Campbell County: 8,726 cases (+76), 406 hospitalizations (+4), and 158 deaths (+1)
  • Carroll County: 4,897 cases (+23), 344 hospitalizations (+2), and 113 deaths
  • Charlotte County: 1,661 cases (+28), 92 hospitalizations (+1), and 31 deaths
  • Covington: 828 cases (+4), 34 hospitalizations, and 19 deaths
  • Craig County: 796 cases (+8), 22 hospitalizations, and 11 deaths
  • Danville: 7,596 cases (+92), 402 hospitalizations, and 212 deaths
  • Floyd County: 1,869 cases (+10), 60 hospitalizations (+1), and 33 deaths
  • Franklin County: 7,740 cases (+65), 308 hospitalizations, and 132 deaths
  • Galax: 1,840 cases (+23), 143 hospitalizations, and 69 deaths
  • Giles County: 2,698 cases (+17), 101 hospitalizations, and 38 deaths
  • Grayson County: 2,672 cases (+12), 167 hospitalizations, and 63 deaths
  • Halifax County: 4,819 cases (+49), 216 hospitalizations, and 127 deaths
  • Henry County: 8,089 cases (+59), 488 hospitalizations, and 212 deaths
  • Highland County: 259 cases (+5), 4 hospitalizations, and 4 deaths
  • Lexington: 1,811 cases (+17), 39 hospitalizations, and 38 deaths
  • Lynchburg: 14,226 cases (+203), 544 hospitalizations (+2), and 218 deaths (+2)
  • Martinsville: 2,490 cases (+19), 190 hospitalizations, and 100 deaths
  • Montgomery County: 13,668 cases (+114), 290 hospitalizations, and 121 deaths
  • Nelson County: 1,882 cases (+15), 65 hospitalizations, and 24 deaths
  • Patrick County: 2,670 cases (+19), 139 hospitalizations, and 72 deaths
  • Pittsylvania County: 9,633 cases (+106), 420 hospitalizations (+4), and 144 deaths
  • Pulaski County: 5,050 cases (+44), 247 hospitalizations, and 106 deaths
  • Radford: 3,474 cases (+39), 57 hospitalizations, and 39 deaths
  • Roanoke City: 15,186 cases (+172), 337 hospitalizations (+1), and 274 deaths (+1)
  • Roanoke County: 15,269 cases (+237), 284 hospitalizations (+2), and 196 deaths
  • Rockbridge County: 2,499 cases (+16), 89 hospitalizations, and 71 deaths
  • Salem: 4,669 cases (+66), 112 hospitalizations (+1), and 84 deaths (+1)
  • Wythe County: 5,341 cases (+33), 287 hospitalizations, and 119 deaths

**items in bold indicate increases or decreases in the total number of cases, hospitalizations, and/or deaths since the previous weekday**

Health officials say they have received 44,056 total records of confirmed and probable virus-related hospitalizations around Virginia as of Friday, which is 301 more hospitalizations than VDH reported on Thursday, Jan. 6.

This marks the Commonwealth’s fifth-largest single-day increase in hospitalizations.