With the COVID-19 Delta variant now the dominant strain in the United States, cases of the virus are again on the upswing nationwide, including Virginia. The state is now averaging 336 new cases a day, nearly triple the 120 cases/day reported just a month ago, when restrictive measures were still in place and vaccinations were on the rise.

According to Dr. Richard Williams, Medical Director of the Three Rivers Health District, cases are increasing across the Three Rivers Health District, as well. On June 21, Williams reported that the new case rate in the district was just one to two per day for all 10 jurisdictions, or between seven and 14 cases over a seven-day period. In contrast, there were 60 new cases in Three Rivers last week, he said.

The same holds true for Gloucester, which saw an increase of 29 cases during the past week, from 2,295 cases last Wednesday to 2,324 cases this Wednesday. Mathews has had only one additional case during the past week, for a total of 606 sin...