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NRHD Sees Small Bump in COVID Cases, Ballad Health Reports 100 Hospitalizations

CDC

The New River Health District has seen a bump in COVID-19 cases, but not quite to the level seen in other parts of the state. Dr. Noelle Bissell is the district’s director. She gave an update on the situation Monday.

“We don’t expect to see the same numbers we had last year, because last year, everybody was pretty naïve with regard to immunity," she told reporters Monday. "But now we have vaccinations and we do have people who’ve been infected. The one thing we do know is that if we increase vaccination coverage, we’re going to keep our hospitalizations and deaths down.”

Bissell said less than half of the district’s overall population has been fully vaccinated against the virus so far.

You can see a breakdown of COVID-19 metrics by the different areas served by the New River Health District here.

Meanwhile, Ballad Health – which operates hospitals in far southwest Virginia and northeast Tennessee – says more than 100 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.   

Officials say that is quadruple the number reported about a month ago. 

They also say some children are hospitalized and in pediatric ICU’s. 

The health system is preparing for an additional surge, and emergency department wait times will likely get longer in the near future.

Here's more from Ballad Health:

Nick Gilmore is a meteorologist, news producer and reporter/anchor for RADIO IQ.