COVID-19 cases are rising across the U.S. “at unprecedented rates that have never been seen before,” said Dr. Richard Williams, medical director of the Three Rivers Health District, in his Monday pandemic update.

The same holds true locally, as well, with 378 new cases recorded in Gloucester, 68 new cases in Mathews, and 97 new cases in Middlesex during the past week, well more than double the number of new cases recorded last week for each county. This brings the total virus cases reported to 4,757 in Gloucester, 1,062 in Mathews, and 1,198 in Middlesex since the pandemic began.

Virginia cases have increased “beyond any previous experience,” said Williams, with more than 14,000 cases per day, well beyond the peak that occurred last January. Nearly 100,000 new cases were recorded across the state between last Wednesday and this Wednesday. The actual 99,487 new cases brought the statewide total to 1,186,887 cases since the pandemic began two years ago.

According to the Johns H...