The VDH is reporting the single highest spike in the number of coronavirus deaths across the Commonwealth with 383 — but officials say that is mainly due to processing a backlog of death certificates for Covid-related fatalities that occurred over the holidays. The department attributes 11 of those newly-reported deaths to the Roanoke Valley. — 6 to Roanoke County, 3 to Roanoke City, and 1 each to Salem and Botetourt County. The VDH is also reporting 47 new probable or confirmed coronavirus cases and 6 new hospitalizations in the Roanoke Valley: 16 new cases and 1 new hospitalization in Roanoke City, 22 new cases and 4 new hospitalizations in Roanoke County, and 9 new cases and 1 new hospitalization in Botetourt County.
