COVID-19 Update: March 17

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped sharply, according to statistics updated today by the Virginia Department of Health. But don’t panic! While the number of cases increased 31%, the number of people tests leaped 110% as testing kits became increasingly available. The leap is a function of the testing, not the spread of the disease.

— JAB

Update. The Virginian-Pilot has begun tracking Virginia coronavirus, too. The newspaper has a particularly cool graph showing the progress of the epidemic in different states by the number of days since the first reported case. (Hat tip: Carol Bova.)