COVID-19 case rates began to climb again during the past week in Virginia and across the U.S.

According to the weekly report from Dr. Richard Williams, medical director of the Three Rivers Health District, U.S. case rates rose from 72,000 new cases per day over a seven-day average during the week ending Nov. 5, to 91,000 new cases per day during the week ending Nov. 12.

Virginia saw an increase from 1,250 new cases per day over a seven-day average last week to 1,330 cases per day during the past week, for a total of 949,803 cases since the pandemic began, while the Three Rivers Health District rose from 103 new cases as of last Tuesday to 180 new cases as of this Wednesday, for a total of 15,719 cases over the past 20 months.

Gloucester reported 44 new cases last week, putting the total at 3,941 cases since the pandemic began. The county also recorded one death from COVID during the past week—the only death recorded in the 10-county health district over the week. This brings ...