COVID-19 has now infected 94 Virginians

Published 3:50 pm Thursday, March 19, 2020

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The number of people in Virginia infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is up to 94, the Virginia Department of Health announced Thursday afternoon.

Of those people, 19 are hospitalized, and two have died. There have been 1,923 people tested, the department stated.

“We have, at this point, distinct clusters in a few geographic areas in the state,” Dr. Lilian Peake, state epidemiologist, stated in a press conference with Gov. Ralph Northam at 3 p.m. She noted those clusters were in Northern Virginia, in the Richmond area and in the Peninsula Health District, which has seen 16 infections between James City County, York County and Williamsburg. Peake also said there is evidence of cases of community spread, meaning someone who had no known contacts with the disease.

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Infections in South Hampton Roads hold steady at four in Virginia Beach and one in Norfolk, which was reported late Wednesday and is not included in Thursday afternoon’s update from VDH.

No cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in the Western Tidewater Health District, which includes the cities of Suffolk and Franklin, as well as Isle of Wight and Southampton counties.

“All Virginians need to practice individual prevention and control measures,” Northam stated during the press conference. “Our health is in your hands. Know the signs and symptoms. If you’re sick enough to seek testing, you’re sick enough to stay home for any reason other than to seek medical care.”