County’s virus case growth slows to a crawl

Dickenson County recorded one new COVID-19 case and another death within one week.

However, the one-week growth in virus cases accelerated in three neighboring counties, as compared to the previous week.

As of June 1, the Virginia Department of Health reported a total of 954 confirmed cases in Dickenson County since the pandemic began months ago. As of Tuesday, the number increased to 955.

The county’s number of COVID-19-related deaths increased from 17 to 18.

Nearby, Russell County has recorded a total of 2,301 positive cases since the pandemic began, an increase of eight cases in one week. Buchanan County’s total case count was 1,491, an increase of 15 cases in one week. Wise County has reported a total of 3,257 cases, an increase of 22 cases in one week.
Those three counties saw a combined 45 new cases. The previous week, their combined new case count was 31.

To look at the health department’s data, visit www.vdh.virginia.gov and go to the COVID-19 Data and Resources section.

REMINDERS

Gov. Ralph Northam announced May 14 that Virginia’s indoor face mask requirement would be lifted, citing new guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC guidelines specify that fully-vaccinated people do not need to wear masks in most indoor settings. However, those who are unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear masks in all settings.