COVID-19 updates for County, Health District, State, Nation and Global

As of midday Friday, January 15, County Emergency Management Deputy Director Rick Farrall released the latest COVID-19 novel Coronavirus pandemic statistics for Warren County, the Lord Fairfax Health District of which we are a part, as well as state and national numbers. In the two weeks since our last published report of December 30, Warren County reported 312 new cases (to 1,633 from 1,321) and saw its deaths rise by 3 to 36. Seventy-one county citizens had been hospitalized with the virus over the nearly a year it has been reported on our shore.

As Phase 3 of the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic continues post-holiday season the county has seen its cases nearly double over the past six weeks to that 1633 mark from 859 reported on November 30; with 10 reported fatalities attributed to the virus over that six-week period. As previously noted, through the first nine-plus months of the year Warren County had counted 12 deaths attributed to the pandemic, with that number tripling in just over three months.

Above, file photo of County Deputy Emergency Services Director Rick Farrall updating county officials on COVID-19 numbers and measures being enacted locally and statewide to counter those numbers. Below, Va. Health Department chart indicating daily case numbers, with LFHD numbers below chart. One can see that as December rolls through January, Phase 3 cases are spiking from the feared post-holiday surge within a surge. Royal Examiner File Photos by Roger Bianchini

Our six-jurisdiction Lord Fairfax Health District (LFHD) saw its case count climb to 12,733 from 9,877 reported December 30. LFHD’s cases have more than doubled over the six weeks since 859 cases were recorded on November 30.

Nationally, COVID-19 numbers continue to climb at an alarming rate with cases increasing by over 3.7 million since mid-December, to 22,965,957, with fatalities climbing to 383,351 from the 334,029 reported on December 30, an increase of nearly 50,000 deaths at 49,322. Over 63,000 U.S. deaths were reported in December, the most of any month since the pandemic arrived here early last year.

A check of the CDC (Center for Disease Control) website Monday afternoon, January 18, showed the U.S. death count climbing over 400,000 to 401,256, with an additional 1,151,802 cases (to 24,117,759).

With Monday’s global numbers reported by the CDC at 95.18 million cases and over 2.03 million dead, the U.S. continues to stand between 20% and 25% at about 24% of the world’s cases and 20% of its fatalities, as noted previously with 4% of the world’s population.

Below are the full county, health district, state and national numbers for the January 15 report, with December 30 and the final day of November for comparison; and below that updated mid-January local and state guideline information and LINKS:

Above, chart of cases in U.S., part of Canada and Central America; below, the little bug at the root of the pandemic. And now it’s decided to mutate as such viruses are prone to do.

3. COVID-19 Information (January 15, 2021):
   1. Lord Fairfax Health District:  As of today (per the VDH website), there are 12,733 confirmed COVID-19 cases (Clarke 491, Frederick 4,661, Page 1,289, Shenandoah 2,756, Warren 1,633 (71 are/were hospitalized, 36 deaths attributed to the County; deaths 2.20% total cases), Winchester 1,903); the current status of these patients is unknown (admitted to hospital, discharged to home isolation/quarantine, departed the District/County).
   2. Commonwealth:  4,730,680 total people tested (PCR only); 422,634 total cases [15.2% positive rate (PCR only)]; 19,741 total hospitalized; 5,656 total deaths (1.34%total cases).
   3. United States:  As of January 14, 2021 at 12:16 PM, there are 22,965,957 total cases and 383,351 total deaths (1.67%total cases) attributed to COVID-19.

2. COVID-19 Information (December 30, 2020, at 11:54 a.m.):
   1. Lord Fairfax Health District:  As of today (per the VDH website), there are 9,877 confirmed COVID-19 cases (Clarke 385, Frederick 3,703, Page 1,015, Shenandoah 2,186, Warren 1,321 (69 are/were hospitalized, 33 deaths attributed to the County; deaths 2.50% total cases), Winchester 1,637); the current status of these patients is unknown (admitted to hospital, discharged to home isolation/quarantine, departed the District/County).
   2. Commonwealth:  4,220,943 total people tested (PCR only); 344,345 total cases [12.7% positive rate (PCR only)]; 17,910 total hospitalized; 4,984 total deaths (1.45%total cases).
   3. United States:  As of December 29, 2020 at 2:25 PM, there are 19,232,843 total cases and 334,029 total deaths (1.74%total cases) attributed to COVID-19.

COVID-19 update as of November 30, 2020: 

5. Lord Fairfax Health District:  As of today (per the VDH website), there are 6,357 confirmed COVID-19 cases (Clarke 208, Frederick 2,228, Page 593, Shenandoah 1,403, Warren 859 (61 are/were hospitalized, 26 deaths attributed to the County; deaths 3.03% total cases), Winchester 1,066); the current status of these patients is unknown (admitted to hospital, discharged to home isolation/quarantine, departed the District/County).
6. Commonwealth:  3,326,327 total people tested (PCR only); 237,835 total cases [7.5% positive rate (PCR only)]; 14,619 total hospitalized; 4,062 total deaths (1.71%total cases).
7. United States:  As of November 29, 2020 at 1:32 PM, there are 13,142,997 total cases and 265,166 total deaths (2.02%total cases) attributed to COVID-19.

4. Current (Jan. 15, 2021) CDC Guidance Regarding When to Quarantine/Options to Reduce Quarantine
   1. New CDC guidance as of December 2, 2020.
   2. Recommend everyone familiarize themselves with the updated guidance.  See attached and website link below for details.
   3. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

2. Congregate Living Conference Call:
   1. There are currently one (1)COVID-19 outbreak at County congregate living facilities.
   2. Expect the NEXT Congregate Living (Long Term care facilities, RSW Jail, and WCPS) teleconference call to be Tuesday (15:00-15:30), January 26, 2021; invites and “Zoom” call-in instructions are posted, agenda to follow on the invitation.

3. Key Leader Conference Call:
   1. Expect the NEXT County/Town Key Leader teleconference call to be Thursday morning (10:30-12:00), January 28, 2021; invites and “Zoom” call-in instructions are posted, agenda to follow on the invitation.

4. Current Executive Orders and Local Directives (not all inclusive):
   1. EO-74: Number Seventy-Four (2020) Protecting Businesses From Increasing Cost of Unemployment Insurance; effective December 22, 2020.
      1. https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-74-Protecting-Businesses-From-Increasing-Cost-of-Unemployment-Insurance.pdf
   2. EO-72: Number Seventy Two (2020) and Order of Public Health Emergency Nine Common Sense Surge Restrictions Certain Temporary Restrictions due to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19); effective Monday, December 14, 2020 until January 31, 2021.
      1. https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-72-and-Order-of-Public-Health-Emergency-Nine-Common-Sense-Surge-Restrictions-Certain-Temporary-Restrictions-Due-to-Novel-Coronavirus-(COVID-19).pdf
   3. EO-67 (Phase Three):  Sixth Amended Number Sixty-Seven (2020) and Order of Public Health Emergency Seven Phase Further Adjusting of Certain Temporary Restrictions Due to Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19); effective November 16, 2020
      1. https://www.governor.virginia.gov/media/governorvirginiagov/executive-actions/EO-67-FIFTH-AMENDED-and-Order-of-Public-Health-Emergency-Seven—Phase-Three-Further-Adjusting-of-Certain-Temporary-Restrictions-Due-to-Novel-Coronavirus-(COVID-19).pdf
      2. Changes include new guidance for public and private gatherings, etc.
   4. Designation of Critical and Essential Employees during an Emergency Memorandum, effective May 7, 2020 until further notice

5. CDC Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes:
   1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guidance.html?deliveryName=USCDC_2067-DM26911