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ISLE OF WIGHT

County officials confirmed on Dec. 1 that two people at the Isle of Wight Courthouse have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to a message sent to county residents who subscribe to the county’s IW Alert system, the building will be closed to the public until Dec. 9. Individuals with cases before the courts will be contacted with rescheduled dates.

The building will undergo cleaning Dec. 1.

“Once we’ve cleaned the building, we’ll have to evaluate how soon we can get people back in there,” Assistant County Administrator Don Robertson said.

The Virginia Department of Health’s website now lists five congregate outbreaks in its Western Tidewater Health District, which includes Isle of Wight County, Southampton County and the cities of Franklin and Suffolk. Congregate settings can include workplaces or other environments where a number of people reside or gather in close proximity.

Isle of Wight County alone crossed the 1,000-case mark earlier this month, with 1,044 reported as of Dec. 1. That equates to 2.8% of the county’s estimated population of 37,109 — meaning one in every 35 county residents has or has had COVID-19 since the pandemic began.