CDC Sends Teams to Combat COVID-19 Outbreaks in Poultry Plants

Welcome to today’s edition of the Dogwood. We’ve got a roundup of Virginia news coming right up.

But First…

Virginia’s local and municipal elections are still happening in May, but they have been pushed back until the 19th. You have until May 12th to request an absentee ballot. Want to know if your town is holding elections? Check out Dogwood’s guide here.

Five Things You Need to Know Today

1. Virginia COVID-19 Cases Rise Part 14,000- With 804 new cases statewide, Virginia’s coronavirus cases rose to 14,339, an increase of 6% since yesterday. According to the Virginia Department of Health, 2,165 people have been hospitalized and 492 people have died due to the virus. Overall, 82,753 people have been tested for COVID-19 in Virginia. — Dogwood
   
2. CDC Sends Team to Aid COVID-19 Outbreaks in Virginia Poultry Plants- The U.S. Centers of Disease and Control and Prevention sent a team to Virginia to help combat the coronavirus outbreaks in the Delmarva Peninsula, a major center of U.S. chicken production. Gov. Ralph Northam, with the governors of Maryland and Delaware, sent a letter to President Donald Trump seeking assistance with the growing outbreaks. — NBC-12 
   
3. Too Much Spring Cleaning Overwhelms Northern Virginia Recycling Collections- With more Virginians stuck at home during the pandemic, people are finding now a better time than ever to spring clean. However, the increase in spring cleaning is straining Northern Virginia waste and recycling collections. Some collections have recorded a 30 to 40% increase in overall waste set out on curbs. — WTOP
   
4. Coronavirus Could Spark Massive Election Delays Through 2021- The coronavirus pandemic could potentially delay Virginia legislative elections in 2021. Because of the pandemic, the Census Bureau was unable to hire and train census takers and will potentially need more time to finalize the results of this year’s headcount. Officials say there won’t be enough time to draw up new districts, candidate filing and other acts that are central to legislative elections. — Dogwood
   
5. UVA Health Loses $3 Million, Furloughs Employees– The University of Virginia Medical Center has furloughed employees while others will receive a 20% pay cut while UVA Health System seeks to shore up finances due to a drastic drop in surgeries and clinic visits. The medical center has not seen a rise in COVID-19 patients. The staff treating COVID-19 patients will not see any adjustment to their compensation or jobs.  — Richmond Times-Dispatch