County COVID deaths pass 100, vaccination rate continues to lag as the new year approaches

A December 29^th update on local and statewide COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic statistics puts Warren County’s fatalities at 107 out of 6,209 reported cases (a 1.72% fatality rate), according to a report by Warren County Deputy Emergency Services Coordinator Brian Foley. That death rate per cases is somewhat higher than the national average, currently standing at 1.53% with the CDC (Center for Disease Control) reporting current U.S. COVID deaths at 821,302 of 53,657,706 confirmed cases.

Statewide in Virginia the death rate is even lower at 1.43% with 15,541 deaths reported of 1,087,400 confirmed cases. Foley notes that Virginia’s first round, fully vaccinated rate stands at 67.4%. Warren County continues to lag behind in fully vaccinated numbers, with its percentage at 56.1%. That number is next to last in the Lord Fairfax Health District, with only Page County at 54.7% lower in the six municipality health district. See the full LFHD vaccination report, including booster shot numbers, below.

CDC graphic indicating county, state, and U.S. pandemic cases and deaths two days before the new year. Below, at right are U.S. and top 10 state Coronavirus numbers; to left a chart of daily case numbers in Virginia, indicating an end of the year spike. – CDC website graphics as of noon, Dec. 30, 2021

In the wake of the soaring number of hospitalizations Valley Health reported yesterday at its regional facilities, Foley also reported that “Warren Memorial Hospital is no longer allowing visitors until further notice.” In its press release posted on Royal Examiner yesterday, Valley Health noted its “six hospitals are currently treating 145 patients for COVID-19, about 85% of whom are unvaccinated. According to Iyad Sabbagh, MD, Chief Physician Executive, the most severely ill patients are unvaccinated, underscoring the importance of COVID-19 vaccination and boosters.”

On the national front, the above-noted numbers of 53.657-million cases and 821,302 fatalities compared to early June numbers shows at least one positive in a decline in the fatalities-to-cases percentage, which dropped to 1.53% from a June 9 number of 1.79%. As of June 9, 2021, there were 33,224,075 total cases and 595,625 reported deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S. So, in the past six months and three weeks there has been an increase of 20,433,631 cases and 225,677 fatalities attributed to the Coronavirus pandemic.

At right top, global pandemic numbers indicating almost 283-million cases and over 5.4-million deaths worldwide; lower right, a chart indicating the concentration of cases in U.S., Mexico and Caribbean areas. At upper left, a chart of vaccinations in U.S.

Below is the December 29^th county emergency services update on local and state COVID-19 statistics:

1. COVID-19 Information (Current Data):

1. Lord Fairfax Health District:  As of today (per the VDH website), the number of total COVID-19 cases per locality are: Clarke 1,782, Frederick 14,237, Page 4,075, Shenandoah 7,801, Warren 6,209 (204 are/were hospitalized, 107 deaths attributed to the County.), Winchester 4,323; the current status of these patients is unknown (admitted to hospital, discharged to home isolation/quarantine, departed the District/County).
   1. Note – Regional population fully vaccinated according to VDH site (avg 62.4%):
      1. Clarke – 70.4%, booster/third dose – 24.1%
      2. Frederick – 64.2%, booster/third dose – 18.9%
      3. Page – 54.7%, booster/third dose – 16.2%
      4. Shenandoah – 61.7%, booster/third dose – 19.5%
      5. Warren – 56.1%, booster/third dose – 15.3%
      6. Winchester – 67.5%, booster/third dose – 19.2%
   2. Commonwealth: 11,132,439 people tested (PCR only); 1,087,400 total cases [17.4% seven day positive rate (PCR only)]; 41,337 total hospitalized; 15,541 total deaths.
   3. Note:  67.4% of Virginia population fully vaccinated, according to VDH site.