By Carol Vaughn —
The trend in COVID-19 cases on the Eastern Shore has remained relatively stable for the past five to six weeks, since shortly after the region entered Phase 3 of Virginia’s reopening guidelines, according to Jon Richardson, Eastern Shore Health District chief operating officer.
“Trend is, of course, relative to the time period examined. …We did see a slight uptick in cases Eastern Shore-wide after entering the height of our busy summer season and beginning Phase III. This was expected, but it has remained fairly stable,” Richardson said.
Many of the new cases identified were associated with private social gatherings or contact with positive household members.
As of Aug.19, Accomack County has had 1,129 cases, with 86 hospitalized and 18 deaths, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
The numbers included one additional death reported Wednesday.
Northampton County has had 300 cases, with 49 hospitalized and 29 deaths.
Of total cases on the Shore, 844 were among Black residents, 255 were Latinos, 228 were White, 12 were Asian, 1 was Native American, 13 were “other race,” and one was listed as “two or more races.”
Race and ethnicitiy were not reported for 84.
Those taken ill were split almost evenly by gender — 718 women and 702 men. Gender was not reported for nine cases.
The hardest hit age group on the Shore has been 50-59, with 291 cases; followed by 40-49, with 262 cases; and 30-39, with 250 cases.
Residents in their twenties accounted for 211 cases.
Those in their sixties accounted for 199 cases.
Still, when it comes to hospitalizations and deaths resulting from the virus, the story is different.
Of 135 hospitalized, 78 were age 60 or above; 23 were in their fifties; 13 in their forties; 11 in their thirties; six in their twenties; one between 10 and 19; and three were under age nine.
Of the total hospitalized, 96 were Black, 25 were White, 12 were Latino, one was Asian, one was other race, and one was listed as “two or more races.”
Almost an equal number of men and women were hospitalized, 67 and 68, respectively.
Of 47 who have died of the virus on the Shore, 26 were Black, 18 were White, and three were Latino.
Of the total who died, 20 were over 80 years old; 12 were in their seventies; eight were in their sixties; five were in their fifties; and two were in their forties.
Twenty-six women and 21 men have died.
On the Shore, 10,355 PCR tests have been administered. The current seven-day positivity rate is 6.2%.
The positivity rate is among key metrics used to determine safety of reopening. A rate of 10% or lower is a benchmark that enough testing is being done, according to the World Health Organization.
The Eastern Shore has had 12 outbreaks, with 868 associated cases, according to the health department.
There have been 199 cases in healthcare workers associated with outbreaks.
In Virginia, an outbreak is defined as two or more lab-confirmed cases associated with a single facility.
Outbreaks were reported in four long-term care facilities, seven congregate settings, and one correctional facility on the Shore.
Sheriffs from Accomack and Northampton counties this week clarified the situation in the Shore’s two jails.
According to Northampton County Sheriff David Doughty, there is no outbreak in the Eastern Shore Regional Jail in Eastville.
One inmate tested positive in June during intake screening.
Since March, five employees have tested positive, “with all the exposures and symptoms occuring while they were off duty,” Doughty said, adding all have recovered and returned to work.
Several staff were placed on precautionary quarantine during the same period, “with everyone currently healthy and back to work,” he said.
Inmate population at the jail has decreased from 75 to 60 since the pandemic’s start, but all releases were due to completion of the inmate’s sentence.
Accomack County Sheriff Todd Wessells said the Accomack County Jail had one staff member who tested positive several months ago.
One inmate, who was asymptomatic, tested positive a few weeks ago upon intake. The person was quarantined and has since tested negative for the virus.
“There are no positive cases in Accomack County Jail at this time,” Wessells said Tuesday.
At both jails, new inmates are medically screened and quarantined in a separate area before entering the general population.
Additionally, other precautionary measures are being taken — including use of personal protective equipment, social distancing, temperature checks, extra sanitizing, and more.
“We’ve been very fortunate and I credit that to the practices — good cleaning practices and having good policies in place to keep people separated, and testing…It’s paying off,” Wessells said.
He credited deputies who work in the jail for their vigilance.
There have been 15 outbreaks reported in Virginia poultry or meat processing plants, resulting in 1,224 confirmed cases, 49 hospitalizations, and 10 deaths, according to the state health department.
Most cases were reported in April and May.
In the Eastern region, which includes the Eastern Shore and other areas, 723 confirmed cases are associated with the plants.
Outbreaks at the Shore’s two poultry plants earlier this year “were closed quite some time ago and remain closed,” Richardson said, adding the health department remains in contact with both plants “to ensure they remain diligent in their continuance of practiced mitigation strategies designed to protect their workers.”
