While COVID-19 case rates remain high locally, over the past week they have dropped significantly in Gloucester and Mathews, from last week’s highs of 750 and 105 new cases, respectively, down to 499 cases in Gloucester and 57 in Mathews between last Wednesday and this Wednesday, according to information from the Virginia Department of Health.

At the same time, Dr. Richard Williams, director of the Three Rivers Health District, is reminding residents again that the majority of people currently in the hospital with COVID-19 are unvaccinated, with the next largest group those partially vaccinated and then those who have not yet received a booster shot.

Case numbers

The most recent case numbers brings the Gloucester total to 6,650 cases and the Mathews total to 1,311 cases since the pandemic began.

Cases were still very high in Middlesex, dropping only slightly, from 140 new cases last week to 130 new cases this week, bringing the county total to 1,620 cases.

There were tw...