RICHMOND, Va. (WJHL) – Southwest Virginia’s new seven-day COVID rate hit another record high on Tuesday as the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported 649 new cases in the West Virginia area. nine counties.

The seven-day rolling average of new cases per 100,000 population is 1,590 regionally, which is 60% higher than the state average of 991 and slightly above the statewide peak of 1,543. state on January 13.

The region also reported three new deaths from COVID-19 and six new COVID hospitalizations on Tuesday.

The new deaths occurred in Bristol, County Smyth and County Wise. Southwest Virginia has a COVID death rate roughly double that of the state during the COVID-19 pandemic, but that difference has been even greater since late summer.

In January, COVID deaths were reported in Southwest Virginia at 3.6 times the state average – 17.6 per 100,000 in the Southwest and 4.9 statewide . As of Sept. 1, triple that of the state at 143 in Southwest Virginia and 48 statewide.

The six new hospitalizations reported included two in Washington and Wise counties and one in Scott and Smyth counties. Virginia’s statewide seven-day COVID hospitalization rate has fallen rapidly since peaking at 25.5 per 100,000 on Jan. 16 and was at 9.4 on Tuesday. Southwest Virginia’s rate has risen over the past week and sits at 7.6.

The highest new case rates are in Smyth, Washington and Scott counties at 1,834; 1,789; and 1,785. The lowest are in Buchanan (1,209) and Dickenson (1,243) counties.

Far fewer Southwest Virginians opted to get the COVID-19 vaccine than national or national averages, and that gap has continued to grow week by week.

As of Tuesday, 47.8% of Southwest Virginians are fully immunized while the rate is 68.6% statewide and 63.4% nationally.

Statewide, VDH reported 1,065,552 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth on January 25.

According to VDH, the total number of confirmed and probable cases is 1,491,993

VDH reports that there has been 13,361 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths across the state.

Below is a full breakdown of local cases of COVID-19hospitalizations and deaths in southwestern Virginia, with new case numbers on January 25:

Note: VDH does not report whether cases are active or recovered. County and community case totals may include active, recovered, confirmed and probable cases.

Bristol, Virginia. – 3,589 cases / 208 hospitalizations / 62 deaths (56 new cases, 1 new death)
Buchanan County – 3,896 cases / 182 hospitalizations / 91 deaths (52 new cases)
Dickenson County – 2,708 cases / 68 hospitalizations / 40 deaths (16 new cases)
Lee County – 4,919 cases / 150 hospitalizations / 72 deaths (51 new cases)
Norton – 1,005 cases / 37 hospitalizations / 20 deaths (8 new cases)
Russell County – 5,590 cases / 181 hospitalizations / 81 deaths (56 new cases)
Scott County – 4,666 cases / 194 hospitalizations / 93 deaths (57 new cases, 1 new hospitalization)
Smith County – 6,864 cases / 365 hospitalizations / 143 deaths (73 new cases, 1 new hospitalization, 1 new death)
Tazewell County – 8,119 cases / 245 hospitalizations / 127 deaths (35 new cases)
Washington County, Virginia. – 11,466 cases / 719 hospitalizations / 190 deaths (145 new cases, 2 new hospitalizations)
wise county – 7,967 cases / 276 hospitalizations / 155 deaths (100 new cases, 2 new hospitalizations, 1 new death)

For complete coverage of the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, click HERE.