COVID-19 in Virginia: 600-plus cases; LIVE updates for Friday, March 27

RICHMOND, Va. -- In an effort to provide accurate, easy-to-read information on the on-going COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on our community, WTVR.com will update this post with the day's local coronavirus headlines and statistics.

COVID-19 in Virginia (Scroll to bottom for U.S. stats)

Number of People Tested: 7,337 (+1148 from Thursday)
Number of Positive Tests: 604 (+144 from Thursday)
Number of People Hospitalized: 83 (+18 from Thursday)
Number of COVID-19-Linked Deaths: 14 (+1 from Thursday)

City/County-by-County Breakdown of Cases

Accomack: 2
Albemarle: 8 (+2)
Alexandria: 18 (+4)
Arlington: 63 (+9)
Amelia: 1
Amherst: 1
Bedford: 2
Bristol: 1 (new)
Botetourt: 1
Charles City: 1
Charlottesville: 11 (+2)
Chesapeake 5 (+1)
Chesterfield: 12
Culpeper: 2
Danville: 4 (+2)
Fairfax: 124 (+45)
Fauquier: 4 (+3)
Fluvanna: 3
Franklin County: 1
Frederick: 4 (+2)
Fredericksburg: 1
Galax: 1 (new)
Gloucester: 3 (+1)
Goochland: 3
Greene: 1 (new)
Halifax: 1
Hanover: 2
Hampton: 5 (+4)
Harrisonburg: 5 (+2)
Henrico: 28 (+7)
Isle of Wight: 2
James City: 55 (+6)
King George: 1 (new)
Lee: 2
Louisa: 5 (+1)
Loudoun: 43 (+15)
Lynchburg: 2 (+1)
Madison: 2 (+1)
Manassas City: 3
Mathews: 1
Mecklenburg: 4 (+1)
Nelson: 1
Newport News: 12 (+4)
Norfolk: 8 (+2)
Northampton: 1 (new)
Nottoway: 1
Orange: 1
Pittsylvania: 1
Poquoson: 1
Portsmouth: 3
Prince George: 2 (new)
Prince William: 44 (+8)
Radford: 1
Richmond City: 17 (+3)
Roanoke City: 1 (new)
Roanoke County: 1
Rockbridge: 1
Shenandoah: 3
Spotsylvania: 2
Southampton: 1 (new)
Stafford: 11 (+4)
Suffolk: 1
Virginia Beach: 29 (+3)
Warren: 2 (+1)
Washington: 1
Williamsburg: 5
York: 9
Williamsburg: 5
*NOTE: This data is provided from the Virginia Department of Health daily at noon. Officials said their cutoff for data is 5 p.m. the previous day. So your local health department may have issued an alert about a case before it is added to the statewide tally released the following day.

COVID-19 LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS

Resident at Richmond assisted living facility tests positive for COVID-19

Beth Sholom Senior Living announced Wednesday that a resident at their Parkside Assisted Living facility tested positive for COVID-19. More here.

Second COVID-19 case confirmed in Prince George County

A second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Prince George County, the Crater Health District (CHD) has confirmed Thursday. More here.

Two COVID-19 cases reported in Northumberland County

Two people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Northumberland County, officials announced Thursday afternoon.More here.

VCU Health institutes temporary no-visitor policy

VCU Health has instituted a temporary no-visitor policy. The new policy, in reaction to COVID-19, went into effect on Friday, March 27. More here.

Richmond works to distribute laptops to 17,000 students without internet

As COVID-19 closes schools until the end of the year, Richmond Public Schools is working to get laptops and hot-spots distributed to 17,000 children without internet access.More here.

Some Richmond parks, dog parks, closing indefinitely

Certain parks in Richmond are closing indefinitely in an effort to encourage social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. More here.

Chesterfield County rolls out COVID-19 mental health initiatives

A new initiative in Chesterfield County hopes to encourage residents to stay connected with each other and care for their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. More here.

Belmont Food Pantry expands to help more families

Belmont Community Resource Services (BCRS) has switched to a drive-thru model to help more families in need due to the coronavirus outbreak. More here.

Belmont Community Resource Services (BCRS) has switched to a drive-thru model to help more families in need due to the coronavirus outbreak. More here.

50-69 year-olds most impacted by COVID-19 in Virginia, new data reveals

Virginia health officials released new information about who has tested positive for COVID-19 as cases continued to climb in the Commonwealth Thursday.

Sixty-nine more people tested positive for the virus out of the 819 people tested since Wednesday's update, according numbers published by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). That brings the total number of COVID-19 cases in Virginia to 460. More here.

Bon Secours suspends patient bills related to COVID-19 testing and treatments

Bon Secours announced Thursday they have suspended all patient statements and billing related to the testing and treatment of COVID-19. More here.

VCU preps dorm for potential patients

VCU notified students Thursday it was transforming some Honors College dorm rooms at 701 West Grace Street into overflow housing for potential patients amid the COVID-19 outbreak. More here.

VCU Health accepting mask, protective gear donations

As hospitals in Virginia prepare for an influx of COVID-19 patients and potential supply shortages, VCU Health is now accepting donations for Personal Protective Equiptment (PPE) to keep doctors and nurses safe. More here.

Chesterfield County initiative encourages residents to order from local restaurants

A new Chesterfield County initiative aims to encourage residents to support and connect with their local restaurants in the wake of COVID-19. More here.

Small business owners face barriers in applying for government loans

As the number of COVID-19 cases began growing in the Commonwealth, small business owners began preparing for the potential economic impacts. Jimmy Comer, who is the co-owner of RBI Services in Hanover County, said he tried to apply for a small business loan through the Virginia Small Business Financing Authority. More here.

Non-profit mobilizes to help vulnerable foster families, children

Vulnerable children in Virginia could become “secondary victims” of the community response to slow the spread of COVID-19, according to foster care advocates. A local non-profit is now organizing a “Foster Care Survival Kit” drive to help foster families and children through uncertain times. More here.

Richmond area seamstresses make face masks for Central Virginia nurses

Hundreds of seamstresses and community members have joined a grassroots effort to get handmade face masks to Central Virginia first responders. Julie Kratzer helped organize the Facebook group “RVA Masks 4 Health” shortly after the novel coronavirus pandemic began. More here.

Essential vs. non-essential: What's closed in Virginia?

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam ordered all Virginia schools and non-essential businesses closed in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“I know the next several weeks will be difficult," he said. "These restrictions on non-essential businesses will create hardships on the businesses and employees affected. But they are necessary, and we do not undertake them lightly. I am calling on Virginians to sacrifice now, so that we can get through this together." More here.

“I know the next several weeks will be difficult," he said. "These restrictions on non-essential businesses will create hardships on the businesses and employees affected. But they are necessary, and we do not undertake them lightly. I am calling on Virginians to sacrifice now, so that we can get through this together." More here.

Photographers across the country are bringing the photoshoot to front steps when quarantined families can’t leave their house. More here.

Explore Virginia's museums, zoos, and historical sites through these virtual experiences

As Virginians adjusts to social-distancing measures and businesses and institutions close their doors, online learning experiences are growing in importance. And in the Commonwealth, there's no shortage of online, interactive learning experiences. From exploring the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts collections to interacting with animals at the Virginia zoo to an online stroll through Lewis Ginter Botanical gardens, kids and adults alike can explore the state's treasures from the comfort of their own homes. More here.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: COVID-19 HEADLINES (App users, click here for complete list.)

COMPLETE COVERAGE: COVID-19 HEADLINES (App users, click here for complete list.)
atest COVID-19 US and Worldwide Stats

atest COVID-19 US and Worldwide Stats