Peninsula Health District reports three women died from COVID-19 – 13newsnow.com WVEC

JAMES CITY COUNTY, Va. — The Peninsula Health District reported three COVID-19 deaths on Sunday.

The three Peninsula residents were women in their 80s and hospitalized.

One person was a resident of a long-term care facility, health officials said.

The three patients were from Newport News, Williamsburg and James City County.

Officials said the three patients acquired the virus through an unknown source.

The cause of death was respiratory failure due to COVID-19.

Two of the cases were included in the statewide COVID-19 positive case count on the Virginia Department of Health’s website. 

The third patient was a new case and not included. The three deaths were not included on the website death total Sunday.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce three additional victims of COVID-19. We at VDH express our condolences to those families,” said Peninsula Acting Health Director Dr. Steve Julian. 

“Increased public cooperation with the publicized guidelines that lessen the spread of the disease will reduce the incidence of deaths related to COVID-19.”

Julian said the three women died in separate hospitals and were very ill.

“Most people with COVID-19 succumb to a respiratory demise, shortness of breath inability to get enough oxygen in the blood stream and of that of course leads to addition complications but the major problem is the ability to get adequate oxygen,” said Dr. Julian.