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COVID-19 cases surge in the Western Tidewater Health District

The Western Tidewater Health District includes Isle of Wight and Southampton counties, as well as the Cities of Franklin and Suffolk.

SUFFOLK, Va. — The Western Tidewater Health District is seeing a surge in COVID-19 percent positivity rates.

The region's current seven-day positivity rate is at fourteen percent. The Western Tidewater Health District includes Isle of Wight and Southampton counties, as well as the Cities of Franklin and Suffolk.

The district's director, Dr. Todd Wagner, said their case contact investigations are showing the increase is coming from family and friend-type social gatherings like birthday parties or barbeques.

He cautions the community not to get complacent.

"Just because you know them, they are not bad people," he said. "Just that they may have been exposed and you may not know it, and you put your loved ones at a higher risk because you just sort of think, 'Certainly they are OK.' But, not necessarily."

There are several easy ways to get tested for the coronavirus, including looking up testing sites on the VDH website.

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