James City County has 14 positive case of the coronavirus (COVID 19) as of Thursday, according to the Virginia Department of Health website.
Williamsburg and York County each have one.
“As of today in VA, we do have 94 cases of COVID 19, there have been 19 hospitalizations and two deaths,” Dr. Lillian Peake, the state epidemiologist, said Thursday. “We are at a level where we are seeing a community transmission in Virginia.”
The two deaths were from the Peninsula.
Updated numbers
When asked why there were positive cases discrepancies on the VDH’s website compared to numbers released by health officials, Peake said they use an electronic system to track the cases, cutting off the number of cases at 5 p.m. and posting the numbers at noon the following day.
“There will always be a lag,” she said, adding there will be more reports from private labs.
On Thursday, the chart showed the number of positive cases in each locality, whether or not the case was travel-related or the person came into contact with a positive case and if the transmission was unknown.
Now the chart just shows the number of positive cases in each locality.
Peake said they changed the chart because the information was not correct. She added the information was changing so rapidly and did not want to put incomplete information.
She did not have the information of the number of undiagnosed cases but said she has seen an increase in reports.
Testing capacity
- State labs: 1,000 tests available
- Private labs: Unknown
“We don’t have that info,” Peake said. “There’s no requirements for private labs to let us know what they’re capacity is.”
Childcare guidance
- Parents can apply for and receive childcare subsidies.
- Expanding eligibility for school-age children currently designated for part-day care to full-day care.
- Increasing the number of paid absences from 36 to 76 days for both level 1 and level 2 providers.
- More information here.
Medicaid
- COVID-19 testing and treatment are covered.
- Eliminating copay services.
- Extend prescriptions to 90 days.
- Enhanced telehealth options.
- See if you are eligible here.
- Apply for health coverage here.
Correctional facilities
- State correction facilities suspended in-person visitations and transfers from local regional jails.
- Gov. Ralph Northam encourages summons, asks judges and magistrates to issue personal recognizance bonds and modify sentences for low-risk offenders. Example: using home electronic monitoring
- State Police, suspend enforcement of motor vehicles inspections for the next 60 days.
State & local economy
“As of yesterday, we have received 10,000 unemployment claims from Virginians,” Northam said.
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan application approved by U.S. Small Business Administration. Loans are low interest up to $2 million.
- Tax relief for individuals and businesses, tax returns due May 1. Date for payment extended to June 1. No late payment if filed prior to June 1
- Tax Sales Returns, option to request extension to April 20. Charged interest.
- Additional guidance from tax commissioner
“Everyone needs to understand acting for the common good is in all of your best interests,” Northam said. “We are only as healthy as the people that we come into contact with.”
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