RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia's governor and top health officials say the state's southwest is seeing a sustained, troubling increase in coronavirus cases driven partly by family gatherings.

Gov. Ralph Northam addressed the spike in cases at a news conference Wednesday, saying further restrictions on the area are possible if the numbers keep climbing.

Also Wednesday, one area hospital system issued a warning that its resources are being stretched thin, with 88.5% of its ICU beds full.

Virginia has so far reported nearly 177,000 coronavirus infections and just over 3,600 deaths from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.