Virus case numbers slowly rise

Published 2:00 pm Thursday, May 21, 2020

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The area’s coronavirus cases have slowly risen this week, with Prince Edward County increasing to 86 total Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported cases as of Wednesday, May 20, compared to the 77 total cases listed Monday.

In Buckingham County, the Dillwyn Correctional Center (DCC) saw two more inmates diagnosed with COVID-19 since Monday, bringing the total number of positive inmates experienced by the prison to 280 as reported by the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC).

DCC has experienced 11 positive staff cases and one inmate death as a result of the virus. Four DCC offenders were in hospitals on Wednesday due to complications from the virus.

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The county’s other prison, Buckingham Correctional Center (BKCC), experienced no new cases between Monday and Wednesday after a 33-case jump over the weekend. The prison was listed Wednesday as having experienced a total of 111 positive offenders, with five positive staff and one inmate dead as a result of the virus.

Nearby Cumberland County had increased to 25 total positive coronavirus cases as of Wednesday. Lunenburg County remained at seven cases, and Charlotte County had risen to 15 cases on Wednesday.

In total, Virginia had seen 32,908 COVID-19 cases and 1,075 virus-related deaths as of May 20.

The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA) on Wednesday reported 1,536 coronavirus-positive patients or those awaiting test results were being hospitalized, with 370 of those patients in the ICU. The state had 202 of its 2,947 ventilators in use.

Data from the VHHA shows 4,523 hospitalized Virginians have recovered from coronavirus and have been discharged.