Dogwood Daily: Over 75 Coronavirus Cases in Virginia

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood Daily. We’ve got a round-up of all of today’s Virginia news coming right up.

But first…

Frederick County’s Rocky Point Creamery is offering a drive-thru service for anyone who wants a creamy treat but wants to maintain social distancing practices. – WTOP

Five things you need to know today …

1. 10 New Cases of Coronavirus, State Total Now 77: There are now 77 presumptive positive cases of the novel coronavirus in Virginia, according to Health Commissioner Norman Oliver, up from 67 on Tuesday. There are currently three new cases in Richmond, two in Fairfax County and one case in James City, Arlington, Chesterfield, Stafford and Charles City County. According to Oliver, an additional 65 tests were running at the state lab.  –WSLS 10 and Dogwood
   
2. New Measures Introduced As Jobless Rate Expected to Rise: With the rapid closure of businesses, events and schools, state officials announced changes to make it easier for laid off Virginians to collect benefits. Gov. Ralph Northam announced the state is waiving the one-week waiting period for receiving unemployment benefits, and the mandatory two job searches per week rule. Check out our article detailing them here. –Dogwood
   
3. Voters Encouraged to Vote from Home: Virginia has local elections coming up in May, and state officials are encouraging people to vote absentee in order to prevent further spread of the novel coronavirus. While state law requires a reason for voters to register absentee, the Virginia Department of Elections has made changes due to the pandemic. Voters will now be allowed to choose the reason “my disability or illness” on their ballot without supplying documentation. The deadline to vote absentee is April 28. – The Roanoke Times
   
4. Daycare Restrictions Due to Pandemic: Virginia’s social services commissioner is advising families to keep their children out of daycare centers unless they are are “essential personnel.” According to Commissioner Duke Soren, daycare centers should expect guidance from the state, including a rule limiting the number of adults and children in a classroom to ten people. Previously, the decision was left up to the daycare facilities, leaving many of the operators with the difficult choice of closing while many parents had to report to work but needed child care assistance. – NBC 4
   
5. Coronavirus Clusters Found In Richmond: According to the Gov. Ralph Northam and state officials, there are currently clusters of coronavirus outside of Northern Virginia. According to Health Commissioner Norman Oliver, there are three outbreaks of coronavirus in the state. An outbreak means a group of two or more cases that can be traced to a common exposure. There are currently two outbreaks in Richmond and one in James City. There are currently zero outbreaks in Northern Virginia as well as zero known cases of coronavirus in southwestern Virginia. NBC 4 & The Virginian Pilot