COVID-19 in Virginia: LIVE updates for Thursday, April 30

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 Tests: 15,846 (+885 from Wednesday)
People Hospitalized: 2,322 (+63 from Wednesday)
COVID-19-Linked Deaths: 552 (+30 from Wednesday)
People Tested: 90,843 (+5,536 from Wednesday)

CITY/COUNTY-BY-COUNTY BREAKDOWN OF CASES

Accomack: 264 (+35)
Albemarle: 103 (+22)
Alleghany: 6 (+1)
Alexandria: 756 (+56)
Appomattox: 20 (+2)
Arlington: 967 (+55)
Amelia: 15
Amherst: 12 (+1)
Augusta: 43 (+2)

Bedford: 30 (+3)
Bristol: 1
Botetourt: 28
Brunswick: 14
Buchanan: 16
Buckingham: 58 (+3)
Buena Vista City: 6 (+1)

Campbell: 12
Caroline: 27 (+2)
Carroll: 11 (+2)
Charles City: 13
Charlotte: 7
Charlottesville: 56 (+4)
Chesapeake: 242 (+10)
Chesterfield: 531 (+30)
Clarke: 8
Colonial Heights: 54 (+5)
Covington: 1
Craig: 3 (+1)
Culpeper: 141 (+12)
Cumberland: 13 (+2)

Danville: 35 (+1)
Dinwiddie: 16 (+1)

Emporia: 23 (+1)
Essex: 7 (+1)

Fairfax: 3,611 (+163)
Fairfax City: 27
Falls Church: 26
Fauquier: 111 (+2)
Floyd: 2
Fluvanna: 73
Franklin City: 20 (+1)
Franklin County: 21
Frederick: 105 (+4)
Fredericksburg: 33 (+5)

Galax: 4
Giles: 4
Gloucester: 23
Goochland: 76 (+2)
Grayson: 2 (+1)
Greene: 10
Greensville: 39 (+1)

Halifax: 18 (+1)
Hanover: 118 (+5)
Hampton: 115 (+6)
Harrisonburg: 426 (+15)
Henrico: 876 (+30)
Henry: 16
Highland: 2
Hopewell: 24

Isle of Wight: 99 (+3)

James City: 158 (+3)

King George: 32 (+2)
King and Queen: 2
King William: 5

Lancaster: 2 (+1)
Lee: 9
Lexington: 3
Louisa: 43 (+2)
Loudoun: 746 (+19)
Lunenburg: 4
Lynchburg: 53 (+1)

Madison: 14
Manassas City: 216 (+66)
Manassas Park: 61 (+1)
Martinsville: 2
Mathews: 4
Mecklenburg: 100
Middlesex: 8 (+4)
Montgomery: 56 (+1)

Nelson: 8 (+1)
New Kent: 23
Newport News: 118 (+4)
Norfolk: 198 (+6)
Northampton: 64 (+28)
Northumberland: 9 (+1)
Norton: 2
Nottoway: 12

Orange: 31 (+4)

Page: 100 (+9)
Patrick: 2
Petersburg: 31
Pittsylvania: 13 (+1)
Poquoson: 6
Portsmouth: 158 (+8)
Powhatan: 13 (+1)
Prince Edward: 49 (+3)
Prince George: 33 (+2)
Prince William: 1,645 (+118)
Pulaski: 9

Radford: 3
Rappahannock: 5 (+2)
Richmond City: 339 (+16)
Richmond County: 144 (+1)
Roanoke City: 73 (+16)
Roanoke County: 51 (+4)
Rockbridge: 6 (+1)
Rockingham: 240 (+20)
Russell: 3

Salem: 26 (+10)
Scott: 7
Shenandoah: 108 (+13)
Smyth: 13
Spotsylvania: 143 (+12)
Southampton: 125 (+10)
Stafford: 240 (+5)
Staunton: 12
Suffolk: 169 (+15)
Surry: 4
Sussex: 31 (+1)

Tazewell: 6

Virginia Beach: 385 (+20)

Warren: 52 (+1)
Washington: 36
Waynesboro: 11
Westmoreland: 21 (-1)
Winchester: 37 (+1)
Williamsburg: 18
Wise: 22
Wythe: 11

York: 46 (+1)

*NOTE: This data is provided from the Virginia Department of Healthdaily at 9 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.

COVID-19 LOCAL HEADLINES

Mental health service providers see a massive increase in patient demand
Gov. Ralph Northam announced a $2 million grant to aid those experiencing mental and behavioral health crises in the wake of COVID-19. Read more.

NYC hospital doctor dies by suicide in Virginia
A New York City hospital doctor took her own life Sunday, police said. Dr. Lorna Breen succumbed to self-inflicted injuries at UVA Hospital, according to the Charlottesville Police Department. Police Chief RaShall Brackney mourned her loss. Read more.

CEO: Bus drivers who don’t return to work could be fired
After a mass “call-out” by GRTC operators that caused “significant delays” for some riders Monday, the transit company’s CEO sent a letter to local union leaders saying operators who don’t return to work could be fired. Read more.

Richmond researcher develops COVID-19 antibody test
Researcher at Granger Genetics said the COVID-19-plagued Henrico nursing home was crucial in the lab's work to develop an antibody blood test to determine if someone has had the coronavirus. More here.

Medical school students join virus fight with child care
Dozens of students from a Virginia medical school are doing their part in the fight against coronavirus by volunteering to care for the children of health care workers. More here.

10 new COVID-19 outbreaks reported Sunday
Health officials are investigating 198 outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth, according to Virginia Department of Health (VDH) data released Sunday. More here.

COVID-19 hospitalizations, discharges up in Virginia
More than 1,800 COVID-19 patients have been discharged from Virginia hospitals, according to data from the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA). More here.

Chesterfield church responds to warning from police about Sunday service
Leaders at a Chesterfield church disputed claims the house of worship was violating Executive Order 55 that prohibited gatherings of more than 10 people last Sunday. More here.

Gov. Northam: Virginia could begin to reopen on May 8
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam laid out what he called the blueprint for Virginia to begin reopening during his Friday afternoon press conference. The earliest he said that process could begin was May 8.More here.

Northam creates COVID-19 Business Task Force to guide strategy for easing restrictions
The task force consists of representatives from a variety of Virginia industries, including restaurants, breweries, wineries, small and large retailers, fitness centers, hair salons, barber shops, spas and estheticians, museums, hospitality groups, campgrounds, and entertainment venues. More here.

Feds reviewing investigation into COVID-19-plagued Henrico nursing home
An investigation into the COVID-19-plagued nursing home will examine if anything should have been done differently as the virus was spreading through the West End facility that has become the epicenter of the health crisis in Central Virginia. Read more.

WTVR

Richmond students create virtual program to engage elementary school children
When coronavirus closed down schools and stopped the world in its tracks, four honors students from Maggie Walker Governors School created an organization to help elementary school students adjust to their new normal. More here.

Organization teams up with Richmond restaurants to feed hospital staff
A national grassroots organization working with restaurants and other medical facilities to feed healthcare workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis has launched a Richmond chapter. More here.

Henrico bakery donates 16,000 masks for first responders
The owner of a Henrico bakery donated thousands of face masks and hundreds of pastries to first responders. More here.

Feed More hires Richmond restaurant cooks
Seven Richmond cooks from kitchens like Lemaire, Acacia Midtown, Shagbark, and West Coast Provisions are now cooking meals for Feed More. A Community Foundation grant helped Feed More hire the out-of-work cooks for the Bayard Community Kitchen. More here.

Henrico 'free masks for seniors' giveaway aims to ease anxiety
A West End insurance company distributed more than 1,000 free masks to help ease the minds of senior citizens Saturday. More here.

Woman runs 60 miles in 24 hours: 'Her motivation is to motivate'
A Central Virginia woman ran 60 miles Saturday to raise money for Kids Run RVA, a groups that encourages kids to get active.
"I'm a runner, but this is something I've never done before," Kristen Eichert laughed. "I just decided to do something a little wild and try to raise some money."More here.

Sign language interpreter translates life-saving information without saying a word
Laura Hill is a familiar face in Virginia standing front and center during the pandemic, delivering potentially life-saving information without ever uttering a word.More here.

Richmond Food Lions offers groceries, gift cards to families in need
Richmond families struggling during the COVID-19 crisis can pick up Food Lion food bags and gift cards from area schools on a weekly basis.More here.

Hanover County offering 12,500 free meals
Hanover County will offer thousands of free meals to their residents Friday. The food program is different from the program offering meals to students of Hanover County Public Schools. More here.

Chesterfield auto shop giving back to first responders: ‘They’re risking their lives’
A Chesterfield car repair shop is giving back to the first responders and healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. More here.

RVA YouTube stars spread positivity during pandemic
A Richmond-based YouTube star couple is not letting the COVID-19 pandemic keep them from making big moves and spreading positivity.More here.

RVA YouTube stars spread positivity during pandemic

Contractor offers to donate crawlspace installation to family in need
While many families are spending much more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, a local contractor is donating their services to a family in need.More here.

Property managers raise funds for struggling families
Local property manager Jean Johnson knows the angst many families are feeling. She started taking distress calls weeks ago when layoffs began and tenants started losing income. More here.

'ARTsolation' -- Families' stay-at-home art projects bring 'warmth and love'
“We had been talking over conference calls how a lot of us have seen different art installations in people’s yards, and thought it would be kind of cool idea to create a virtual exhibit where we could document these things and put them on a website for people to enjoy from their own homes,” Rob Steele said. More here.

Parole worker hopes to raise $50K for Canterbury nurses
“I thought if I was a nurse, I’d like to be tipped," Blake Saunders explained. "I’d like somebody to give me a chunk of change, even if it’s just to get a tank of gas or a steak dinner or whatever." More here.

How COVID-19 is impacting The Veil, Charm School, and Stella’s south Richmond plans
A brewery-anchored project on the Southside is eyeing a summer finish line, the same time many Richmonders are hopeful for an ending of social distancing guidelines. More here.

Fountain Bookstore celebrates ‘Independent Bookstore Day’ with virtual bookstore party
The bookstore may be closed, but the books are still open. To celebrate “Independent Bookstore Day” on April 25, Richmond-based Fountain Bookstore will offer a special virtual event complete with free audio downloads, giveaways and other surprises. More here.

Richmond Symphony hosts 9-hour virtual music marathon fundraiser
Despite social distancing, the music plays on! The Richmond Symphony is hosting a nine-hour music marathon fundraiser on Saturday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. This marathon will stream live on the Richmond Symphony’s Facebook page and will feature performances by symphony musicians, youth program participants, staff and board members. More here.

Anthony’s on the Hill reopens amid pandemic
A neighborhood restaurant opened its doors in the midst of the coronavirus and the community came to its aid. Antoinette Essa chatted with Anthony’s on the Hill owner Michael Calogerakis and his daughter Madison about operating during the coronavirus crisis.More here.

King's Barbecue adapts to keep doors open during COVID-19
For more than seven decades, King's Barbecue has dominated Petersburg's taste for smoked pork. And for more than 70 years, little has changed about the restaurant and the food it serves. More here.

How Richmond Fleet Management keeps the city rolling
It’s an essential city service you rarely get to see. Richmond Fleet Management crews are responsible for keeping Richmond’s first responders and city services rolling. More here.

Saucy's BBQ offers drive thru pork, ribs, and beer
Saucy's Walk Up and Saucy's Sit Down have transformed into Saucy's Drive Thru and Saucy's Takeout. Tom McCormack , the owner of Saucy's BBQ in Petersburg and Hopewell, spoke with Eat It, Virginia co-host Scott Wise about keeping the Tri-Cities feed with ribs and pulled pork.More here.

Richmond International Film Festival moves online for live discussion series
While The Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF) has been postponed due to COVID-19, the producers of the yearly event have been working to create an online experience to highlight the festivals film makers, musicians, and special guest speakers. More here.

Landlord chooses not to collect rent: 'A blessing from God'
Thrift store owners in Colonial Heights say they were struggling to keep their operation going when they received an unexpected and appreciated surprise from their landlord. More here.

Lazy Daisy saved her life, she won't let the virus kill it
“It's just a different world," Michelle Leshok said. “Like it's just like a ghost town. Thursday to Sunday it is usually packed.” More here.

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

LATEST COVID-19 U.S. AND WORLDWIDE STATS