JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. -- Health officials are investigating a cluster of COVID-19 cases on the Peninsula after at least eight people tested positive for the virus.
COVID-19 cases in the Commonwealth now stand at 45 as of Sunday, officials announced during a noon conference call with state and local government leaders.
Gov. Ralph Northam said Virginia is "taking additional steps to limit the spread" by banning events of more than 50 people on the Peninsula and banning events of more than 100 people statewide.
"We want you to avoid public gatherings of all kind," Northam said, "If you are planning an event with over several people, you should cancel it."
Northam urged people on the Peninsula to stay home.
"If you're planning to go to a restaurant or a church or to a bar on the Peninsula, I would discourage you from doing so," Northam said. "These are critical steps to reduce and slow the spread of this virus. We're not yet at the point of ordering a state-mandated quarantine. But every single person should stay home if they can. This is serious. Everyone needs to take this seriously."
As a result, Northam said local governments in Hampton, James City County, Newport News City, Poquoson, Williamsburg and York County will be closed to the public for two weeks starting Monday.
"These local governments will continue to provide services," Northam said, "For example, trash will continue to be picked up and sheriff's offices will continue to operate. But this closure will limit contact between people as we work to stop the spread of this virus."
Northam said the directive was consistent with the direction given to state agencies to plan to work remotely.
James City County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jim Eisenhower also urged residents to make sure they have essentials.
"Even as we encourage social distancing, we do not want citizens to neglect critical needs like grocery shopping, fueling your vehicle and other daily tasks," Eisenhower said.
Williamsburg Mayor Paul Freiling praised the cooperative spirit between the local and state leaders.
"Three days ago, I spoke to the citizens of Williamsburg about coming inconveniences, disruptions and possibly even hardships. They're now upon us," Freiling said."But the good news is we have a plan and we will be implementing it... Our prospects for success are strong, but it will get tougher before it gets better. So let's demonstrate our collective resolve."
COVID-19 'Limited Community Spread'
Dr. Thomas Franck, the interim director of the Hampton/Peninsula Health District, said the agency's primary goal is containment when it comes to the COVID-19 cluster.
"We have activated our incident management team and we have a team of 40 of our personnel who are working twelve-hour shifts," Franck said.
Franck said that as of Saturday officials had made contact with more than 200 of the 284 people who came in contact with one of the eight people with COVID-19.
"We are working on the rest of them as we speak," he said. "We will continue to trace those contacts to ensure that self quarantining is taking place. And we continue to reach out and identify any further cases of COVID-19 in the community."
Authorities confirmed Saturday night "limited community spread" of COVID-19 on the Peninsula after a man in James City County died as a result of the virus and a staff member at the College of William & Mary tested positive.
Hampton City Manager Mary Bunting, James City County Administrator Scott Stevens, Newport News City Manager Cindy Rohlf, Poquoson City Manager Randy Wheeler, Williamsburg City Manager Andrew Trivette and York County Administrator Neil Morgan said in a joint statement the community must take "further steps to curtail the spread" after they learned of several more COVID-19 cases "within the region."
"Our first and most effective defense is to limit potential exposure," officials said. "In that respect, Peninsula residents are urged to avoid gatherings of more than 50 people. This includes church services, civic/social organization meetings, and public events and festivities."
"Remember to observe the hygiene steps of washing your hands frequently, sanitizing flat surfaces, and when possible avoid close contact," officials said.
Those county and city leaders noted that additional steps may be needed in the coming days as "local officials try to slow the rate of infection."
First COVID-19-Related Death in Virginia
Virginia health officials said a man in James City County died as a result of COVID-19 Saturday.
The victim is his 70s, who was hospitalized, died of respiratory failure as a result of the virus, officials said.
"The patient acquired COVID-19 through an unknown source," Virginia Department of Health (VDH) officials said.
The somber news marked the first death in the Commonwealth as a result of COVID-19.
"The Peninsula Health District has been working very closely to identify people who have been in potential contact with people known to have tested positive for coronavirus," officials said. "They are interviewing affected people and giving instructions on how to protect themselves and others."
Pam and I were deeply saddened to learn that a Virginian has died from #COVID19. The health of Virginians continues to be my absolute top priority. I will meet with local Peninsula officials tomorrow, and we will speak to the community about next steps.https://t.co/Q7GNEVDEeO
— Ralph Northam (@GovernorVA) March 14, 2020
Gov. Ralph Northam released the following statement in response to the death:
“Pam and I were deeply saddened to learn that a Virginian has died from COVID-19, and we grieve for everyone this virus has touched around the world.
“The health of Virginians and our communities is my most important priority right now. As a Commonwealth, we have taken major, critical steps to stop the spread of COVID- 19. I have declared a state of emergency, closed K-12 schools across the state, restricted visitors at nursing homes and correctional facilities, limited state employee travel, and canceled large events.
“This is a public health crisis—we must all treat it as such.
“Again, I urge Virginians: take this seriously. Take basic health precautions, avoid large gatherings, telework if possible, and stay home if you are sick. That will stop the virus from spreading.
“It is all of our responsibility, yours and mine, to keep each other safe and healthy.
“You deserve to know next steps. I will meet with local officials on the Peninsula tomorrow, and we will speak to the community at 12:00 PM about additional measures we are taking to combat COVID-19.”
Virginia COVID-19 Cases
Of the 408 people tested for COVID-19 in Virginia, 45 people had tested positive for the virus as of Sunday. Officials noted public health officials are "reaching out" to anyone who is known to have been in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19.
The number of U.S. coronavirus cases, which have been reported in all states except West Virginia, swelled to nearly 3,000 Sunday.
The death toll from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, rose to 62 Sunday.
Worldwide, the virus has infected more than 156,390 people and killed over 5,800, with the vast majority of them in China. Most cases have been mild, and more than half of those infected have recovered.
Safety Tips
VDH officials urged folks to abide by the following "effective behaviors" to "lower the risk of respiratory germ spread:"
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds; use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
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COMPLETE COVERAGE: Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Tracker