County: 15 new virus cases seen in one week

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Wise County increased by 15 between July 21 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 3,336 — up from 3,321 one week earlier.
The number of Wise County COVID-19 deaths remained at 105.

Statewide, the total number of confirmed cases across several months rose from 533,582 July 21 to 536,663 Wednesday, an increase of 3,081. The number of “probable” cases in Virginia rose from 153,302 July 21 to 155,442 Wednesday, an increase of 2,140.
During the same period, the number of confirmed deaths increased by 29 to 9,727. The number of probable COVID-19 deaths increased by two to 1,795.
To look at the health department’s data, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov and go to the COVID-19 Data and Resources section.

REMINDERS

Only about 40 percent of Wise County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the health department.

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.