From the Rappahannock Area Health District:
The Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) is seeing increases in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and percent positivity, indicating an increase in community transmission of the disease. As a result of these increases, the health district is urging local residents to remain diligent in
following precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, including wearing masks, practicing social distancing, frequently washing hands, and staying home if you are sick.
“Over 30% of the adult population in the health district has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. As a result, we should be seeing decreases in spread of the virus, yet we have seen signs of increasing transmission for the last 10 days,” said Acting Health Director Dr. Denise Bonds. “Our current data shows that the number of new cases per day is higher than during either of the peaks which occurred during the summer of 2020, and this is concerning.”
As of Monday, March 29, 2021, RAHD has seen an average of 65 new cases per day over the past week. The percent positivity is 7.8%. This has steadily been increasing since March 19, when the district reported a weekly average of 34 new cases per day and a percent positivity of 5.4%. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has also increased over the past week. On March 22 there were 21 COVID-19 patients hospitalized within the health district, and this has now increased to 41 patients hospitalized.
“Having 3 safe and effective vaccines to protect against COVID-19 has provided a sense of optimism at the end of very long year, but we must remember that we are not quite to the finish line yet,” continued Dr. Bonds. “We ask for our community’s ongoing commitment to preventing the spread of COVID-19 for the next few months as we continue to develop immunity through expanded vaccination efforts.”
To register for a free COVID-19 vaccine, visit www.vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (877-
829-4682). For more information on COVID-19 in Virginia, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/.
