Virus cases continue rising; face masks, hand-washing vital
April 9, 2020 - The Virginia Health Department reported that there have been 4,042 cases of COVID-19, 685 people hospitalized, and 109 deaths in the state as of Thursday morning. The deaths include one unidentified Hampton resident who, officials said last week, contracted the disease through "community spread." The patient was a male in his 70s who acquired COVID-19 through an unknown source. The cause of death was respiratory failure.
The Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association reported there were 669 people currently hospitalized for COVID-19 and 627 people receiving inpatient hospital care whose test results are pending.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, community spread refers to the spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible that a patient may have been exposed to someone who was infected. Experts say the coronavirus is spread mostly by person-to-person contact and through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks, which is why social distancing is important. The virus may also be spread by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching your own mouth, nose or possibly eyes.
State and local officials continue to encourage social distancing, staying home whenever possible and wearing face masks when out in public. Similar guidelines are in place at Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis, including an order that “warfighters, their dependents” and those in or on military communities wear face masks.
Go online to learn why and when you should wear a mask in public. The AARP also has recommendations online on how to go grocery shopping during the pandemic. To get more information about the coronavirus, visit:
