The Virginia Department of Health reported three more presumptive cases of COVID-19 Tuesday afternoon, raising the state's total to 8.
The new cases are in Virginia Beach and Loudoun County.
The Virginia Beach cases are a man in his 60's and a woman in her 50's who recently traveled on a Nile River cruise. Local media have identified them as husband and wife. They returned to the United States March 5th and were tested on March 8th. Results of the tests were completed Tuesday, according to VDH.
The Loudoun County case involves a person in their 40's who attended a church service in Washington, DC, according to a news release from the county. Washington officials have reported that the rector of that church, Christ Church in Georgetown, was hospitalized last Thursday and tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.
During a call with reporters Tuesday afternoon, Doctor Lilian Peake, the state’s epidemiologist, said the risk in Virginia is still low. "We don’t have information now that Virginia has the virus spreading in our community so the risk here remains low. We do expect to see more cases but continued strong public health measures will blunt and slow the impact on the virus in the United States." Peake says simple steps like handwashing, staying home when sick and covering coughs and sneezes will help that effort. She added that influenza is still more of a risk in Virginia than COVID-19.
Two other presumptive cases of COVID-19 were reported by the Virginia Department of Health Monday night. One patient is in Fairfax City and is the wife of a person diagnosed Sunday. The couple had recently traveled on a Nile River cruise. The other case announced Monday is in Spostylvania County. Peake said officials were still trying to determine how that person contracted the illness.
The U. S. Navy reported Tuesday that a civilian employee of its medical services in Falls Church also tested positive. Peake said during the call that she did not have information on that case.
Tests are considered presumptive positives until confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Peake said the state's consolidated lab is expecting to get more tests kits. It has two test kits already in-house, each of which can test 150-200 patients. Peake said an additional kit was expected Tuesday and additional orders are pending with the CDC. The Health Department is targeting its testing to those at highest risk: People who had close contact with a confirmed patient, people who had recently traveled to active spread areas and patients in nursing homes who have tested negative for other illnesses.
Click here for more COVID-19 information from the Virginia Department of Health
VDH has created a hotline for questions about COVID-19. That number is 1-877-ASK-VDH3.
