RICHMOND, Va. — Governor Ralph Northam will hold one of his triweekly news conferences at 2 p.m. Monday to update his administration’s latest efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
CBS 6 will carry the news conference live on-air and online.
At Northam’s last news conference on Friday, he laid out his blueprint on how Virginia will begin to reopen once the right criteria has been met to begin phase one. This includes a 14 day decline in the number of hospitalizations and the percentage of positive tests.
Senate Republicans on Monday called on the governor to produce an actual timeline for how long it will take Virginia to reach Phase Three of his ‘Forward Virginia Blueprint.’
“By again applying a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, the Governor’s plan will make the people and businesses of Bristol and Lynchburg dependent upon the progress made in Arlington and Alexandria. It is long overdue for Governor Northam to recognize our geographic diversity.
By exclusively coordinating his plans with Maryland and the District, Governor Northam disadvantages citizens and businesses geographically closer to the four other states we border. Two of those states, Tennessee and Kentucky, have already announced an easing of their restrictions.”
As of Monday morning, the Virginia Department of Health reported 13,535 people have been infected with the virus which was an increase of 565 cases from Sunday. A total of 80,180 people have been tested for the virus, an increase of 4,062 from Sunday.
Additionally, 458 people have died from COVID-19, an increase of 10 from Sunday.
VDH also reported 199 outbreaks of COVID-19.
VDH reported 2,066 people have been hospitalized because of the virus, an increase of 52 from Sunday. That number is cumulative since the start of the pandemic in Virginia.
For the current number of COVID-19 patients in hospital, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association reported Monday there are 1,455, an increase of 19 from Sunday. They also report 1,843 people have been discharged from the hospital, an increase of 28 from Sunday.
For a further breakdown of the current COVID-19 numbers in Virginia click here.
COVID-19 Precautions
Most patients with COVID-19 have mild to moderate symptoms. However, in a small proportion of patients, COVID-19 can lead to more severe illness, including death, particularly among those who are older or those who have chronic medical conditions.
COVID-19 spreads primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms appear within 14 days of being exposed to an infectious person.
Virginia health officials urged the following precautions:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid contact with sick people.Avoid non-essential travel.