COVID-19 in Virginia: LIVE updates for Monday, July 20

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)

Positive COVID-19 Cases: 78,375 (+945 from Sunday)
People Hospitalized: 7,201 (+36 from Sunday)
COVID-19-Linked Deaths: 2,031 (+4 from Sunday)
Total Tests: 1,011,742 (13,450 from Sunday)
All Health Districts Current 7-Day Positivity Rate Total: 7.7%

*NOTE: This data is provided from the Virginia Department of Healthdaily at 10 a.m. 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. Get the latest charts and updated numbers from VDH here.

COVID-19 LOCAL HEADLINES

3 new COVID-19 outbreaks reported Sunday
Data show 290 (+2 from yesterday's report) outbreaks at long-term care facilities with a total of 7,560 COVID-19 cases and 1,192 deaths. That is up 29 cases and no additional deaths from the previous day's report. Read more.

40-plus more COVID-19 patients discharged
More than 40 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from Virginia hospitals in the last 24 hours, according to data from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA). Read more.

Global death toll for pandemic now above 600,000
As of Saturday night, the United States tops the list with 140,103 deaths. It is followed by 78,772 fatalities in Brazil and 45,358 in the United Kingdom. Read more.

Texas coronavirus cases include more than 80 infants
A health official on the Texas Gulf Coast says 85 infants have tested positive for the coronavirus. Read more.

White House task force report recommends 18 states should roll back reopening
The 359-page document detailed the states as a "red zone" because they had more than 100 new cases per 100,000 population last week. Read more.

White House blocking CDC from testifying on schools reopening schools
The White House is blocking the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from testifying before a House committee on how to safely reopen schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more.

Virginia ABC stepping up face mask enforcement: 'No mask, no entry'
If you want to shop inside an ABC store, you need to wear a mask, Virginia ABC announced Friday. Read more.

Doctors warn antibody tests shouldn't be used to determine when to return to work
National lab companies are offering antibody tests as part of their return to work offerings, but doctors are warning these tests shouldn't be used yet to determine whether it's safe for you to be back in an office. Read more.

CDC Director: US could get COVID-19 under control in 1 to 2 months if everyone wears masks
The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the United States could get the coronavirus pandemic under control in one to two months if all Americans wear face coverings in public spaces.Read more.

These retailers will start requiring face masks in their stores nationwide
Several of America's largest retailers have announced that they will begin requiring all customers to wear masks or face coverings when entering their stores. Read more.

Affordable housing residents fear eviction due to COVID-19
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney was the moderator for panel series called "Color of COVID," which discussed the impact COVID-19 has had on people of color in affordable housing. Read more.

New England Journal of Medicine reports 'encouraging' findings for COVID-19 vaccine candidate
One of the leading COVID-19 vaccine candidates produced virus antibodies in every patient tested in a trial conducted earlier this year, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine. Read more.

Northam: Virginia will ramp up enforcement of COVID-19 regulations
In an effort to address a recent rise of COVID-19 cases in Virginia, Governor Ralph Northam announced the state will increase enforcement of COVID-19 regulations, particularly at Hampton Roads businesses. Read more.

Virginia COVID-19 survivor recalls 'paralyzing' pain, 'feeling of suffocating'
"Incredible physical pain. Just huge amounts of unbelievable blinding, paralyzing back pain. It just hurt a lot," Thomas Bryan said. "And that combined with a really high fever... The feeling of suffocating -- someone standing on your chest not being able to breathe. I think people don’t understand that they are risking being as sick as that." Read more.

COVID case uptick in Virginia prompts warning from the governor: 'I won't hesitate to impose restrictions'
The state of Virginia reported more than 940 positive COVID-19 cases Thursday. That marked the largest single-day jump since June 7. Read more.

Coronavirus impact to Virginia budget not as bad as feared
The coronavirus pandemic’s impact on Virginia’s state budget hasn’t been as bad as previously feared. Read more.

CIAA suspends sports for fall 2020 amid COVID-19 concerns
Officials say the decision was made after a thorough analysis of the pandemic and the reality that several CIAA schools are located in states experiencing dramatic increases in new COVID-19 cases. Read more.

Red Cross urging blood donations, testing for antibodies
The Red Cross is urging Central Virginians to donate blood during the COVID-19 crisis and will test blood, platelet, and plasma donations for COVID-19 antibodies for a limited time. Read more.

Northam announces phased approach for school reopening
Governor Ralph Northam unveiled a phased reopening approach for preK-12 schools in Virginia.
“We know parents want to know what to expect this summer and in the fall, to be clear, all Virginia schools will open for students next year, but the school experience will look very different,” said Northam at a Tuesday press conference. Read more here.

How to find work during COVID-19 pandemic: 'People are still hiring'
some employers are still hiring during the global health pandemic. Here are some tips for finding works from experts. More here.

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

LATEST COVID-19 U.S. AND WORLDWIDE STATS