COVID-19 in Virginia: LIVE updates for Tuesday, March 24

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: 4,470 (+776 from Monday)
Number of Positive Tests: 290 (+36 from Monday)
Number of People Hospitalized: 45 (+7 from Monday)
Number of COVID-19-Linked Deaths: *7 (Death of 2 Henrico residents has not been included in Tuesday's total)

City/County-by-County Breakdown of Cases

Accomack: 1
Albemarle: 2
Alexandria: 8 (+2 from Monday)
Arlington: 36 (+2 from Monday)
Amhearst: 1
Bedford: 1
Botetourt: 1
Charles City: 1
Charlottesville: 5 (+1 fro Monday)
Chesterfield: 10 (+1 from Monday)
Culpeper: 2
Fairfax: 46 (+3 from Monday)
Fluvanna: 1
Franklin: 1
Gloucester: 2
Goochland: 3 (+1 from Monday)
Hanover: 1 (-1 from Monday)
Harrisonburg: 1
Henrico: 14 (+3 from Monday)
Isle of Wight: 2 (+1 from Monday)
James City: 37 (+3 from Monday)
Lee: 2
Louisa: 2
Loudoun: 18 (+3 from Monday)
Mecklenburg: 2 (+1 from Monday)
Newport News: 3 (+1 from Monday)
Norfolk: 5 (+1 from Monday)
Portsmouth: 3 (+2 from Monday)
Prince Edward: 1
Prince William: 23 (+5 from Monday)
Richmond City: 11 (+3 from Monday)
Rockbridge: 1 (+1 from Monday)
Rockingham: 3
Spotsylvania: 2
Stafford: 6
Suffolk: 1
Virginia Beach: 17
Williamsburg: 5
York: 6 (+1 from Monday)

*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

2 elderly Henrico residents die from COVID-19, bringing state death toll to 9

Two elderly Henrico County residents have died from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing Virginia’s death toll to nine. The cases are the first deaths from the coronavirus in Central Virginia.

The two patients were residents of the Canterbury Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Henrico County. They were among other patients at the facility receiving treatment for the virus at a local hospital. More here.

Virginia coronavirus cases near 300

The Virginia Department of Health said Tuesday that 290 people have tested positive for COVID-19, up 36 cases from Monday. The updated numbers includes 42 positive cases in the metro Richmond area which includes Richmond (11), Chesterfield (10), and Henrico (14).

There are now seven deaths linked to COVID-19 in Virginia after the Virginia Beach Health Department announced Monday a man in his 70s died from acute respiratory failure. More here.

Mayor: Failure to practice social distancing could lead to closure of city parks

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is urging city residents to practice social distancing while in public at the city’s parks. The mayor says failure to do so, may force him to close city parks and James River Park System.

“We have not seen the peak of COVID-19, the coronavirus, in the City of Richmond just yet,” said Stoney. “That’s why we believe it’s very important that each resident play their role in ensuring social distancing and also ensuring that we do not spread the disease to each other.” More here.

YMCA Emergency Childcare Program expands to Chesterfield and Henrico

One day after Governor Ralph Northam announced all Virginia schools will be closed for the remainder of the academic school year, the YMCA of Greater Richmond announced their emergency childcare program will expand to Chesterfield and Henrico Counties.

In addition to emergency childcare at its Downtown location, the YMCA of Greater Richmond will offer the service at four other locations: Shady Grove, Tuckahoe, Midlothian and Chester. More here.

Richmond area seamstresses make face masks for Central Virginia nurses

Hundreds of seamstresses and community members have joined a grassroots effort to get handmade face masks to Central Virginia first responders. Julie Kratzer helped organize the Facebook group “RVA Masks 4 Health” shortly after the novel coronavirus pandemic began. More here.

Virginia COVID-19 deaths rise to 7 after Virginia Beach man dies

A hospitalized patient who tested positive for coronavirus has died, the Virginia Beach Health Department announced Monday.

The death is the first coronavirus-related death in the district and brings Virginia's coronavirus-related deaths to seven. Health officials say the patient was a man in his 70s who had underlying health conditions. His cause of death was acute respiratory failure. More here.

Essential vs. non-essential: What's closed in Virginia?

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam ordered all Virginia schools and non-essential businesses closed in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“I know the next several weeks will be difficult," he said. "These restrictions on non-essential businesses will create hardships on the businesses and employees affected. But they are necessary, and we do not undertake them lightly. I am calling on Virginians to sacrifice now, so that we can get through this together." More here.

Governor orders recreation and entertainment businesses to close

Governor Ralph Northam announced new restrictions on businesses Monday including the closure of all recreation and entertainment services in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Northam's announcement Monday comes as the state announced that the number of people testing positive for the virus continues to rise and is now at 254, 35 more than Sunday. More here.

Gov. Northam closes Virginia schools for the rest of the school year

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam says that public schools will remain closed for the rest of the current school year and certain types of businesses, like bowling alleys, gyms and theaters, must close in response to the coronavirus outbreak. More here.

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.

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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