County, city record 32 new cases in four days

The number of new local COVID-19 cases continues to rise rapidly as the delta variant of the virus spreads.

Health officials say the overwhelming majority of new cases are striking people who have not gotten vaccinated.

There were 29 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 3,450 cases since spring 2020, compared to 3,421 cases as of Thursday.
The county’s total number of deaths associated with COVID-19 remained at 106.

The health department’s cumulative positive case count for Norton increased by three, from 325 to 328.

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 543,294 last Thursday to 547,240 yesterday, an increase of 3,946. The number of “probable” cases rose from 159,525 Thursday to 162,079 yesterday, an increase of 2,554.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 deaths in Virginia increased by 20 to 9,770. The number of probable COVID-19 deaths increased by five to 1,801.

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

VACCINATION RATES

About 41 percent of Wise County residents and slightly more than 46 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.

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.