VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Hampton Roads has high COVID-19 positivity rates.
Several mayors in the seven cities said they anticipate Governor Ralph Northam will soon add more restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.
“Not good numbers, not good numbers at all,” explained Newport News Mayor McKinley Price.
The positivity rate for the state of Virginia is 16.7 percent, which is lower than every Hampton Roads city, except for Norfolk.
Mayors in the two highest cities said they are making changes to keep people safe.
“Maybe having individuals who want to come in city hall, establish appointments because we want to try and make sure that our employees don’t get it,” Hampton mayor Donnie Tuck said.
The positivity rate in Hampton, 25.2 percent. The second highest in Hampton Roads is Chesapeake at 23.3 percent. Mayor Rick West said for the time being, people won’t be allowed inside city council meetings. They will decide on a weekly basis.
West explained, “A lot of our city services have been provided technology and they are working from home or safe places in the office.”
Portsmouth had a 23 percent positivity rate. Newport News and Suffolk have close positivity rates at 21.6 and 21.4.
Mayor Price said people need to keep following social distancing guidelines.
“The numbers don’t mean anything if you don’t know anyone. Now people are beginning to see people that they know and seeing the local numbers increasing, so people are a bit concerned,” Price explained.
Virginia Beach had 318 new cases on Monday and a percent positivity at 20.9. Mayor Bobby Dyer said that rate went down about a percent from Sunday.
“It’s a major concern, but once again I think it’s a national trend that’s going on and we can only do what we can in Virginia Beach,” Dyer said.
The lowest percent positivity rate in Hampton Roads is 17.1 in Norfolk.