COVID-19 cases have continued to decline locally, statewide and nationally over the past few weeks, with Mathews County the only locality in the Three Rivers Health District where the community level of the virus was listed as medium as of Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. The other Three Rivers localities were at low levels.

Between Monday, Sept. 26 and this Monday, Oct. 3, the number of cases in the district dropped from an average of 20 cases per day to 16 cases per day, while statewide, the numbers declined from 1,326 cases per day to 1,128 cases per day on average, according to pandemic update notices from Three Rivers Medical Director Dr. Richard Williams.

Nationally, the number of cases dropped significantly during that time period, as well, from 54,240 cases per day to 46,700 cases per day.

Hospitalizations were down, as well, from 610 people hospitalized daily with the virus statewide on Sept. 26 to 545 on Oct. 3.

Local cases, h...