County records 144 new cases, three deaths

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wise County increased by 144 between Oct. 20 and Wednesday.

The Virginia Department of Health reported Wednesday morning that the county’s total confirmed cases in the months since the pandemic began had risen to 5,304 — up from 5,160 one week earlier.
The number of Wise County COVID-19 deaths increased by three, from 126 to 129.

As of yesterday, 228 Wise Countians were hospitalized with COVID.

Statewide, the total number of confirmed cases since the pandemic began rose from 678,066 Oct. 20 to 685,227 Wednesday, an increase of 7,161 in one week. The number of “probable” cases in Virginia rose from 233,255 Oct. 20 to 236,403 Wednesday, an increase of 3,148.
During the same period, the number of confirmed deaths increased by 189 to 11,618. The number of probable COVID-19 deaths increased by 20 to 2,209.

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

VACCINATION

Fifty percent of Wise County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the health department.

About 42 percent of residents are fully vaccinated.

Gov. Ralph Northam announced Aug. 12 that 73 percent of Virginians 18 and older had received at least one dose.

Meanwhile, the delta variant of the virus continues to keep the number of new cases high across Virginia and the nation. The overwhelming majority of new cases are affecting people who are unvaccinated or 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.