By Randy Arrington
LURAY, July 10 — Of the 13 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Page County since Monday, 11 have surfaced in the southern end of the county.
The Virginia Department of Health reported only one new case of the coronavirus in Page on Friday, and only two on Thursday. However, 10 new cases were reported Monday through Wednesday.
According to ZIP code data provided by VDH, 11 cases have been reported this week in the 22849 ZIP code near the Town of Shenandoah. That represents a 25-percent increase in cases in that area in less than a week.
It should be noted that ZIP codes extend well beyond town limits. Shenandoah Town Manager Juanita Roudabush said this week that there are more county residents in the 22849 ZIP code than there are town residents. Roudabush also noted that during a local meeting held earlier this week, the Town of Shenandoah was reported to only have five active cases.
A cumulative breakdown of COVID-19 cases and testing in Page County (as of July 10) by ZIP code is as follows:
- 22835 (Luray) — 162 cases, 741 tests, 21.9% positivity rate;
- 22851 (Stanley) — 75 cases, 306 tests, 24.5% positivity rate;
- 22849 (Shenandoah) — 55 cases, 355 tests, 15.5% positivity rate.
The 22650 ZIP code (Rileyville area) data on new cases remains suppressed by VDH because of the low number of cases and the small population in that area. The state suppresses data in these areas in order to protect patients’ privacy. The last data available (July 10) shows that 26 people in the 22650 area have been tested for COVID-19. That figure has remained the same for three days. VDH notes that suppressed cases typically number in the one to four range.
While the positivity rate in the southern end of the county continues to slightly increase (as the other two areas decline), it should be noted that the level of testing is not significant enough to give a true positivity rate for the entire community in those areas.
Page County only saw one new hospitalization this week, reported on Tuesday. The county has not seen a fatality related to the pandemic since June 2.
The Lord Fairfax Health District reported 48 new cases of COVID-19 this week, with eight new cases Friday and 10 on Thursday. Those cases included five new hospitalizations this week spread throughout the district, with two on Tuesday and Wednesday, and one on Friday.
The health district also saw two new deaths due to the coronavirus this week — one reported in Shenandoah County on Thursday, and one in Warren County on Friday.
A cumulative breakdown by jurisdiction of the health district’s 2,136 cases of COVID-19 is as follows (hospitalizations – deaths):
- 606 — Shenandoah County (67-35)
- 536 — Frederick County (42-6)
- 336 — City of Winchester (25-3)
- 304 — Warren County (19-8)
- 296 — Page County (30-23)
- 58 — Clarke County (6-0)
Harrisonburg only saw four new cases of COVID-19 reported in the past two days, with no new hospitalizations and no new deaths. Rockingham County reported 13 new cases in two days, with one new hospitalization reported Friday and one death reported Thursday.
Statewide, 943 new cases of the coronavirus were reported on Friday. That represents the largest one-day increase since June 7.
The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association reported Wednesday that 1,006 people are currently hospitalized that have either been confirmed to have COVID-19 or are awaiting test results. That figure is up 50 from the previous day, and up 223 since Monday — a 28.5-percent increase in five days. This is the first time the number of current hospitalizations has surpassed 1,000 since June 12.
Among those hospitalized, 234 are in intensive care, according to VHHA — up 19 since yesterday, and up 40 since Monday (or 20.6 percent). Currently, there are 102 patients statewide on ventilators — that figure is up nine since yesterday, and up 16 since Monday (or 18.6 percent).
Since the pandemic began, VHHA also reports that 9,189 people who have been confirmed to have COVID-19 and were hospitalized, have been discharged.
VDH reported 21 new deaths related to the pandemic on Friday, which followed 32 deaths on Thursday. After reporting no deaths on Monday, Virginia has seen 105 fatalities in four days due to COVID-19. That brings the state’s death toll to 1,958 since March 14.
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