The latest on the coronavirus in Virginia and North Carolina:
11:23 p.m. EVMS confirms student Physician Assistant tested positive for coronavirus.
5:45 p.m. President Trump and White House Coronavirus Task Force held Sunday briefing.
1:25 p.m. Department of Defense mourns death of contractor who tested positive for COVID-19.
Reports confirmed that the contractor had tested positive for COVID-19 and had been under medical treatment at a local hospital.
1:10 p.m A staff member at NATO’s Allied Command Transformation has tested presumptive positive for coronavirus.
This marks the first potential case at NATO’s Allied Command Transformation which is based in Norfolk.
12:12 p.m. As more residents get tested, Virginia Beach is reporting at least 16 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer confirmed the news Sunday morning warning residents to “expect the numbers to go up.”
11:30 a.m. The confirmed cases have risen to 219 in Virginia and 255 in North Carolina.
11:00 a.m. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam says the community needs to do whatever it can to flatten the Coronavirus curve. He says we’re still in the very early stages of the curve rising. He says they’re dedicating as much personal protective equipment as possible to healthcare providers.
“Just yesterday the Virginia Department of Emergency Management shipped a major supply of PPE to emergency medical services, health districts, and hospitals,” he said.
He says this shipment includes gowns, face masks, and respirators.
“We’re also reaching out to companies for help making and distributing PPE,” said Northam.
Northam says he is also calling on hospitals to reschedule elective surgeries.
“That’s a way we can free up healthcare workers and preserve PPE, emergency equipment and the blood supply,” said Northam.
Virginia’s Secretary of Public Safety, Brian Moran, also answered questions about inmates in the commonwealth. He says right now they are just working on keeping the virus out of institutions but says they are reviewing options if there is a call to release low-level offenders who are susceptible to the virus.
“For those low-level offenders who would be more properly cared for at home, use electronic home monitoring, there are alternatives to incarceration,” said Moran.
Northam reminds the community that this is not a vacation and encourages everyone to stay home to stop the spread.
9:00 a.m. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Old Dominion University officials have decided to reschedule spring commencement to a later date.
Sentara Healthcare has expanded its drive-thru coronavirus screening and testing locations to include four medical centers.
Drive-thru testing locations:
Sentara CarePlex Hospital: 3000 Coliseum Dr., Hampton
- March 22: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- March 23 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Military Circle: 880 N. Military Hwy., Norfolk
- March 22: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- March 23 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sentara Princess Anne Hospital, 2025 Glenn Mithcell Dr., Virginia Beach
- No weekend hours
- March 23 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, 100 Sentara Circ., Williamsburg
- No weekends hours
Counts by district from VDH as of Sunday morning.
Accomack: 1
Gloucester: 2
Isle of Wight: 1
James City County: 32
Newport News: 2
Norfolk: 3
Portsmouth: 1
Suffolk: 1
Virginia Beach: 17*
Williamsburg: 5
York: 5
