Page reports 39 cases of COVID as positivity rate climbs to 11.2%

Page County Map COVID Spread — Page Valley News will have continuing coverage of the Coronavirus' impact on Page County.

By Randy Arrington

LURAY, Nov. 8 — New cases of COVID-19 declined for a second-straight week in Page County, however the positivity rate rose again over the past seven days — once again topping double-digits, and once again reported as the highest transmission rate within the health district.

The Virginia Department of Health has reported 39 cases of COVID-19 in Page County since Nov. 1, including 19 since Friday. According to zip code data provided by the VDH, the new cases surfacing over the last seven days were distributed throughout the county as follows:

• 17 cases — Luray area (22835);

• 10 cases — Stanley area (22851);

• 8 cases — Shenandoah area (22849);

• 5 cases — Rileyville area (22650).

Page County’s positivity rate has risen to 11.2 percent as of Monday, after sitting at 9.7 percent one week ago. Last week was the only week that Page County’s positivity rate has been reported below 10 percent since Aug. 11. The county’s rate reached a pandemic-high of nearly 23 percent five weeks ago before dropping two straight weeks, and then fluctuating over the past three weeks.

Over the past week, Page County also reported one hospitalization due to the virus and two deaths. The COVID-related fatalities was reported on Tuesday and Thursday, and represented the county’s 78th and 79th deaths of the pandemic.

Page County Public Schools has reported 221 cases of COVID-19 within its buildings since opening on Aug. 23, (only three cases reported since last Monday). Of those cases, 18 are still active (as of Nov. 8) with 15 cases among students and three among staff.

The Lord Fairfax Health District has reported 416 new cases of COVID-19 over the last seven days — up from 394 cases the previous week. Frederick and Shenandoah counties and the City of Winchester all saw increases in cases over the last week. Below is a breakdown of new cases reported since Nov. 1 and each localities’ positivity rate within the health district:

• 142 — Frederick County — 8.8%

• 99 — Shenandoah County — 10.5%

• 85 — Warren County — 9.5%

• 39 — Page County — 11.2%

• 34 — City of Winchester — 4.6%

• 17 — Clarke County — 5.8%

The health district reported nine hospitalizations related to COVID over the past seven days (20 previous week) and 12 related deaths (seven previous week). Warren County alone reported seven pandemic deaths this past week, with four of those reported over the weekend. Page County saw two COVID deaths, while one death was reported in Frederick and Shenandoah counties and the City of Winchester.

Over the past week, Virginia has averaged 1,276 new cases of COVID-19 per day — down from 1,328 the previous week and 1,545 the week prior. Statewide hospitalizations related to COVID-19 have fallen to 806 — down from 934 last Monday. Currently, 212 patients are in intensive care being treated for COVID, with 130 on ventilators.

Virginia’s seven-day positivity rate held steady over the past week and is currently 5.6 percent — a slight increase from 5.5 percent last Monday.

Virginia reported 206 deaths related to COVID-19 over the past week (239 last week) — an average of more than 29 per day. The commonwealth has reported a total of 14,190 deaths from COVID-19 since March 14, 2020.

A total of 478 COVID-19 vaccinations were administered in Page County over the past week — down from 565 the previous week. As of Monday’s report by VDH, a cumulative total of 22,166 vaccinations have been given locally, with 11,303 people in the county receiving at least one dose and 10,418 fully vaccinated (or 43.6 percent of the population). A total of 1,374 in the county have received a third shot or booster for the COVID-19 vaccine (7.2 percent of the adult population in the county).

Statewide, Virginia has administered nearly 11.8 million doses of vaccine, with 6 million receiving at least one dose and 5.4 million individuals, or 75.3 percent of the adult population, being fully vaccinated. A total of 742,712 Virginians have received a third “booster” dose of the vaccine.

Unvaccinated individuals and those who are not fully vaccinated should continue wearing a mask, practicing physical distancing, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces in accordance with federal CDC guidance.

Vaccines are available by pre-registration and appointment. To pre-register, or to update your pre-registration record, visit www.vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682). English- and Spanish-speaking operators are available. Translation services also are available, in more than 100 languages. For TTY, dial 7-1-1.

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