Health systems based in Roanoke, Lynchburg and Southside collectively report an eighth consecutive week of fewer patients hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19. The trend holds true as well for those patients under intensive care and on ventilators. The hospital numbers are down more than two-thirds from their mid-January peak.

MARCH 17 NEWS RELEASE: Here are updated numbers for the Near Southwest Region (which includes Carilion, Centra, LewisGale, Sovah, and Salem VA facilities) as of today:

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients: 137

ICU patients: 25

Ventilator patients: 15

Hospitalized PUIs (patients under investigation awaiting results): 7

JANUARY 13 NEWS RELEASE: Here are updated numbers for the Near Southwest Region (which includes Carilion, Centra, LewisGale, Sovah, and Salem VA facilities) as of today:

Hospitalized COVID-19 patients: 450

ICU patients: 96

Ventilator patients: 55

Hospitalized PUIs (patients under investigation awaiting results): 30