Although COVID-19 case rates have begun to decrease across Virginia, deaths were up from last week, with local counties having the highest number of deaths recorded from the virus since vaccines became available earlier this year.

Gloucester saw the deaths of four residents last week, after having had four deaths the week before, bringing the total number to 64 residents who have lost their lives since the COVID pandemic began. Three deaths were recorded in Mathews, for a total of 19 residents who have died from the virus, and there were three in Middlesex from last Wednesday to this Wednesday, bringing that total to 27.

Paradoxically, new case rates dropped locally, just as they did statewide, with Gloucester adding 101 during the past week, down from 211 cases the first week of last month, bringing the total to 3,697 cases since the pandemic began. Mathews had 20 new cases during the past week, down from 50 four weeks ago, for a total of 859, and Middlesex had 37, down from 40...