Nearly 500 new coronavirus cases have been reported in the last 24 hours, pushing the state’s total case count above 8,500.
The numbers released Sunday by the state health department show an increase in the death toll from 258 to 277.
The number of new cases increased from 8,053 to 8,537.
The increase of nearly 500 cases Sunday is lower than what’s been reported the last few days, but over the last few weeks the numbers released by Virginia on Sundays have often been lower, only to resume at higher rates as the week goes on.
On Sunday Gov. Ralph Northam said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that the numbers do not yet provide an indication that Virginia can consider easing the restrictions on businesses that have been imposed by executive order.
“And while we’re not seeing a significant increase, it looks like it’s flattening out a bit,” Northam said. “We would like to see at least two weeks of trending numbers going down.”
As of Sunday, James City County has 141 positive cases of the coronavirus, Newport News has 101, Hampton has 83, York County has 44, Williamsburg has 19 and Poquoson has 6, according to the Virginia Department of Health’s website.
At least 11 people from the Peninsula Health District and one person from the Hampton Heath District have died from the coronavirus.
The Peninsula Health District covers Newport News, Poquoson, Williamsburg, James City County and York County. The Hampton Health District covers Hampton.
There are now three outbreaks on the Peninsula, two in congregate settings and one in a long-term care facility.
