COVID numbers continue trend downward but remain significant as health officials urge caution moving forward

The County Emergency Services update released the morning of April 5, shows over the past 31 days Warren County’s Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) case count rising by another 297 to a total of 2,601, with 5 more fatalities to a countywide total of 52 deaths attributed to the worldwide Coronavirus pandemic. The percentage of deaths to cases in the county dropped slightly, from 2.04% on March 3 to 2.01% on April 5. That percentage remains above both Virginia’s state average of 1.65% (10,360 reported deaths out of 626,171 total cases in the Commonwealth) and national average of 1.82% (553,681 deaths out of 30,492,334 total cases). That is over a half-million Americans counted dead and more than 30-million impacted physically or counted as asymptomatic carriers of the Coronavirus disease in just over a year.

April 5 page from CDC website showing county, state and U.S. numbers at right, headlines on COVID-related stories to left. Royal Examiner Photos by Roger Bianchini

The number of Warren County people hospitalized by the COVID-19 Coronavirus rose to 96, up 7 over the past month. Statewide 26,725 people have been hospitalized.

As for our six-jurisdiction Lord Fairfax Health District, over the past month the total number of cases rose to 19,363, an increase of 1,484, from 17,879 on March 3. That compares to an increase of 1,788 in February.

An afternoon of April 5 check of the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) website showed a continuation of the U.S. accounting for 20% to 25% of the world’s COVID-19 cases and fatalities. As of 1:32 p.m. Monday afternoon world cases were counted at 131,342,071, compared to the U.S.’s 30,925,269 = 4.24 or about 25% of cases; with world fatalities counted at 2,853,631, compared to the U.S. total of 560,601 = 5.09 or right at 20% of world COVID-19 deaths. Again, that is with 4% of the world population.

U.S. and global stats from CDC website as of 1:32 p.m. April 5.

Those CDC numbers posted at 1:32 p.m. Monday, April 5, showed a jump of 6,920 deaths nationwide from the April 5 numbers reported in our county emergency services Coronavirus update gathered from the Virginia Department of Health earlier in the day.

And while numbers are trending down from post Phase 3/holiday season peaks seen in January (Warren County saw 692 new cases reported in January) and the first three weeks of February, health professionals are warning against abandonment of social distancing and masking precautions as the now-mutating COVID-19’s presence continues among efforts to make COVID-19 vaccinations available to all Americans who want them; and states try to ease restrictions on businesses and customer accommodations inside and out, as appropriate.

Below, see details on local vaccination registration, distribution and our Health District, State and National numbers:

4. COVID-19 Information (Current Data, distributed 11 a.m. April 5):
5. Lord Fairfax Health District:  As of today (per the VDH website), the number of total COVID-19 cases per locality are: Clarke 899, Frederick 7,322, Page 1,917, Shenandoah 3,928, Warren 2,601 (96 are/were hospitalized, 52 deaths attributed to the County; deaths 2.01% total cases), Winchester 2,696; the current status of these patients is unknown (admitted to hospital, discharged to home isolation/quarantine, departed the District/County).
6. Commonwealth: 6,578,152 people tested (PCR only); 626,171 total cases [6.4% positive rate (PCR only)]; 26,725 total hospitalized; 10,360 total deaths (1.65%total cases).
7. United States:  As of April 4, 2021, there are 30,492,334 total cases and 553,681 total deaths (1.82%total cases) attributed to COVID-19.

3. COVID-19 Information (Comparative Data, as of March 3):
4. Lord Fairfax Health District:  As of today (per the VDH website), the number of total COVID-19 cases per locality are: Clarke 765, Frederick 6,789, Page 1,832, Shenandoah 3,718, Warren 2,304 (89 are/were hospitalized, 47 deaths attributed to the County; deaths 2.04% total cases), Winchester 2,471; the current status of these patients is unknown (admitted to hospital, discharged to home isolation/quarantine, departed the District/County).
5. Commonwealth:  5,946,972 total people tested (PCR only); 580,108 total cases [6.6% positive rate (PCR only)]; 24,354 total hospitalized; 9,326 total deaths (1.61%total cases).
6. United States:  As of March 2, 2021, there are 28,456,860 total cases and 513,122 total deaths (1.80%total cases) attributed to COVID-19.

Above, U.S. Mexico, Central America, Gulf and South Atlantic islands chart of COVID case outbreaks. Below, chart tracing daily case count in Virginia illustrating post-holiday/Phase 3 January and February spikes.

1. VDH COVID-19 Vaccination Response (Current VDH Information):
2. vdh.virginia.gov/covid-19-vaccine
3. Effective March 18, 2021:  The COVID-19 vaccination will be made available to “Phase 1c” eligible recipients.  “Phase 1a and 1b” eligible recipients may still receive the vaccine as well.  It is expected that all adults in Virginia will be eligible to receive the vaccine by April 18, 2021.

1. Distribution THIS WEEK:  VDH has one closed COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the RSW Jail, and one second dose clinic at the Gym (Fri 4/9).  Valley Health has two clinics at the 15^thSt. Gym (Mon 4/5 and Wed 4/7).

1. Next WEEK:  There is one VDH “first dose” vaccination clinic at a local manufacturing facility (Fri 4/16).

1. VACCINE SIGN-UP:  In partnership with Valley Health and the Lord Fairfax Health District, distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine is now occurring in Warren County.  For the most up-to-date information on where and when to locally receive the vaccine, visit:
2. valleyhealthlink.com/patients-visitors

6. Key Leader Public Messaging:
7. Frequently:
8. continue teleworking if possible
9. wash your hands (EO-72)

iii.  avoid touching your face (EO-72)

1. avoid gatherings (EO-72)
2. wear face coverings both indoors and outdoors (EO-72)
3. get tested immediately if you have COVID-19 symptoms
4. Long Term:  Support local businesses as much as possible; this could make the difference between the business surviving the crisis or having to close permanently.
5. Bottom Line:  We are all in this for the long-haul; expect the effects of the virus to last through the winter and into next spring.

Warren County’s man at the point of COVID information gathering and distribution, Emergency Services Coordinator Rick Farrall. Below, graphic dating to March 2020 of the bug at the center of the pandemic, at a time when smaller numbers were shocking to us.