(RICHMOND, Va.) — Today, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced that a child in the Central Virginia Region died from complications of a chronic health condition and COVID-19. VDH will disclose no further information about the child to protect privacy and out of respect for the patient’s family. This is the first reported death in a child under 10 years old with COVID-19 in Virginia. “Our heartfelt condolences are extended to the family and friends of this child,” said State Health Commissioner M. Norman Oliver, M.D., M.A. “While fewer cases of COVID-19 are reported in children compared with adults, children are not immune to the disease. Across the country, there have been more than 80 COVID-19 deaths among children under 5 years old and more than 180 COVID-19 deaths among children 5 to 17 years old. At a time when vaccination efforts give us reason to be hopeful, we cannot let down our guard. Please continue to do the things we know protect others because they reduce virus spread – get vaccinated when it’s your turn, wear a face mask, stay 6 feet away from others when outside the home, avoid large crowds, and wash your hands often.”
