COVID-19 cases are on the rise again across the nation and in Virginia, while reportedly remaining relatively stable locally. Cases are thought to be much higher due to underreporting and testing.

“We believe Covid case numbers are being underreported,” said Dr. Richard Williams, director of the Three Rivers Health District, in response to an email inquiry. “It is very difficult to estimate the true extent of the current caseloads [however] hospitalizations are a very reliable indicator of overall disease impact.”

The U.S. is currently averaging about 130,000 new (known) cases per day. Virginia’s cases are also rising with a seven-day average of 2,963 new cases per day.

The Three Rivers District is reportedly remaining stable with about 28 new cases per day in the health district. Gloucester and Mathews are at low Covid community levels while all other jurisdictions in Three Rivers are at medium levels.

Cases, hospitalizations, deaths

Gloucester had 56 new cases this past week for a total of 7,994 cases since the pandemic began, with no new deaths. Mathews is reported as having 16 new cases this past week for a total of 1,649 since the beginning of the pandemic with no new deaths. Middlesex had 34 new cases for a grand total of 2,046. There were no new deaths in the county.

There were 20,441 new cases recorded in Virginia this past week with 253 hospitalizations with 67 new deaths, bringing the grand totals to 1,925,915 cases, 53,584 hospitalizations and 20,839 deaths in the state.