County, city: 34 new cases in four days

There were 28 new COVID-19 cases reported in Wise County between last Thursday and yesterday, according the Virginia Department of Health.

As of Monday, the county had racked up a total of 3,375 cases since spring 2020, compared to 3,347 cases as of last Thursday.

The county’s total number of deaths associated with COVID-19 remained at 105.

The health department’s cumulative positive case count for Norton increased by six, from 303 to 309.

The number of total deaths in the city remained at seven.

Meanwhile, statewide case numbers continue to rise at a quickening pace.

In Virginia, the total number of confirmed cases across several months rose from 537,297 Thursday to 540,152 yesterday, an increase of 2,855. The number of “probable” cases rose from 155,909 Thursday to 157,787 yesterday, an increase of 1,878.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Virginia increased by eight to 9,738. The number of probable COVID-19 deaths increased by one to 1,796.

To look at the health department’s data, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov and go to the COVID-19 Data and Resources section.

REMINDERS

Almost 41 percent of Wise County residents and roughly 45 percent of Norton residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to health department statistics.

Gov. Ralph Northam announced June 21 that 70 percent of Virginians 18 and older had received at least one dose.

Meanwhile, the delta variant of the virus is causing a resurgence in cases across Virginia and the nation, mostly affecting people who are not fully vaccinated.

Guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention specifies that those who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated should continue to wear masks, practice physical distancing and avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces.