The COVID-19 case rate has stabilized during the past week, with about 1,468 new cases per day over a seven-day average statewide and 235 cases in the Three Rivers Health District over the eight-day period since last Tuesday.According to a press release from District Director Dr. Richard Williams, hospitalizations have leveled off in Virginia, and vaccination rates are continuing to slowly climb.

Gloucester had 49 new cases during the past eight days, bringing the total to 4,030 cases since the pandemic hit Virginia in March 2020. There were no new hospitalizations in the county, leaving that total at 92, but one person died with the virus, bringing total deaths in the county to 80.

Mathews had 11 new cases during the eight-day period, for a total of 921, but no new hospitalizations or deaths, leaving those totals at 28 and 24, respectively.

In Middlesex, there were 20 new cases, for a total of 987, along with two new hospitalizations, for a total of 35, and no deaths, leavin...