COVID-19 in Virginia: LIVE updates for Monday, March 23

RICHMOND, Va. -- In an effort to provide accurate, easy-to-read information on the on-going COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on our community, WTVR.com will update this post with the day's local coronavirus headlines and statistics.

COVID-19 in Virginia (Scroll to bottom for U.S. stats)

Number of People Tested: 3,694 (+357 from Sunday)
Number of Positive Tests: 254 (+35 from Sunday)
Number of People Hospitalized: 38 (+6 from Sunday)
Number of COVID-19-Linked Deaths: *6

City/County-by-County Breakdown of Cases

Accomack: 1
Albemarle: 2
Alexandria: 6 (+1 from Sunday)
Arlington: 34 (+8 from Sunday)
Amhearst: 1
Bedford: 1
Botetourt: 1
Charles City: 1
Charlottesville: 4
Chesterfield: 9 (+1 from Sunday)
Culpeper: 2
Fairfax: 43 (+12 from Sunday)
Fluvanna: 1
Franklin: 1
Gloucester: 2
Goochland: 2
Hanover: 2 (+1 from Sunday)
Harrisonburg: 1
Henrico: 11 (+3 from Sunday)
Isle of Wight: 1
James City: 34 (+2 from Sunday)
Lee: 2
Louisa: 2 (+1 from Sunday)
Loudoun: 15
Mecklenburg: 1
Newport News: 2
Norfolk: 4 (+1 from Sunday)
Portsmouth: 1
Prince Edward: 1
Prince William: 18
Richmond City: 8 (+2 from Sunday)
Rockingham: 2
Spotsylvania: 2
Stafford: 6 (+1 from Sunday)
Suffolk: 1
Virginia Beach: 17
Williamsburg: 5
York: 5

*NOTE: This data is provided from the Virginia Department of Health daily at noon. Officials said their cutoff for data is 5 p.m. the previous day. So your local health department may have issued an alert about a case before it is added to the statewide tally released the following day.

COVID-19 HIGHLIGHTS

COVID-19 cases in Virginia climb to 254

The Virginia Department of Health said Monday that 254 people have tested positive for COVID-19, up 35 cases from Sunday. The amount of deaths linked to COVID-19 is officially at six after health officials announced Sunday three elderly women in the Peninsula region died of respiratory failure. More here.

Governor expected to make Virginia school announcement

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is warning state residents about a lengthy disruption to daily life as officials try to stem the intensity of the coronavirus outbreak. Northam on Sunday said COVID-19 will affect life for months, and the sooner people adopt new ways of living the sooner the challenges will end. More here.

Northam says he'll announce on Monday what's going to happen with public schools, which are now in the middle of a two-week closure.

Virginia COVID-19 deaths jump to 6 after 3 Peninsula women die

The number of people who have died of COVID-19-linked illnesses in Virginia climbed to six Sunday as health officials announced three elderly women died of respiratory failure.

Officials with the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) said the Peninsula women, two of whom previously tested positive for COVID-19 and a third newly positive case, died in the hospital. More here.

COVID-19 cases in Virginia top 219; most new results from private labs

Virginia health officials said most of the 67 new positive COVID-19 cases in the Commonwealth announced Sunday were from testing done at private labs.

Dr. Lilian Peake, a epidemiologist at the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), said 219 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and 32 people remain hospitalized with the illness. Six people have died of COVID-19-linked illnesses in the state.
More here.

Northam: COVID-19 crisis will be 'months, not weeks'

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said the Commonwealth continues to see a sharp uptick in cases of COVID-19 and that the outbreak will be "with us for a long time. "

"Months, not weeks," the governor said. "We need to begin adjusting to that reality."

Northam said that while more testing is coming online, officials are also seeing more community spread.

"We talked about flattening the curve, but make no mistake, we are still in the early stages of that curve rising," Northam said. "How high and how how quickly those numbers rise is up to you and me and every single Virginian." More here.

UVA Medical Center taking precautions amid COVID-19 outbreak

UVA Medical Center announced Sunday they are taking precautions against COVID-19 by limiting visitors to inpatient and outpatient areas. More here.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky tests positive for COVID-19

Republican Sen. Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19, the illness associated with the new coronavirus. This makes him the first known U.S. senator to be diagnosed with the virus at the center of the pandemic. More here.

As crisis deepens, Congress close on economic rescue deal

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says he expects Congress and the White House to reach full agreement later Sunday on an economic stimulus package that could approach $2 trillion to address the coronavirus crisis.

The package would include $3,000 checks to families and other aid to last the next 10 weeks. More here.

Richmond Restaurants United makes plea: 'We need your help'

In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, a collection of Richmond restaurant owners and workers has come together to form Richmond Restaurants United.

In addition to providing online resources to the thousands of Richmond-area restaurant employees who lost their jobs when dining rooms across the region closed in an effort to slow the spread of the virus, the group urged immediate action from the government to help those left suddenly unemployed. More here.

Explore Virginia's museums, zoos, and historical sites through these virtual experiences

As Virginians adjusts to social-distancing measures and businesses and institutions close their doors, online learning experiences are growing in importance. And in the Commonwealth, there's no shortage of online, interactive learning experiences. From exploring the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts collections to interacting with animals at the Virginia zoo to an online stroll through Lewis Ginter Botanical gardens, kids and adults alike can explore the state's treasures from the comfort of their own homes. More here.

COMPLETE COVERAGE: COVID-19 HEADLINES (App users, click here for complete list.)

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