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The soaring number of COVID-19 positive cases among staff and students at Lunenburg County Public Schools (LCPS) has resulted in the district reverting to virtual learning.

According to LCPS Superintendent Charles Berkley, Jr., the decision was made to close Victoria and Kenbridge Elementary Schools on Thursday, Jan. 13. The middle and High schools closed on Friday, Jan. 14, also as a result of high positive cases.

“There has been a recent spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, which has affected the number of staff in our buildings,” Berkeley said.

Berkeley said he was hopeful that the three day weekend and deep cleaning of buildings would allow the schools to open back to normal operations soon.

As of Tuesday, Jan. 18, LCPS remained closed, but school officials noted that Jan. 18 was a snow day.

Berkeley said that a decision as to if the schools will reopen would be made this week.

The rise in staff and student cases comes just days before the newly elected Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order lifting the school mask mandate.

Coronavirus cases have more than quintupled in the Piedmont Health District alone since the week before Christmas.

According to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), Piedmont saw a total of 1,124 new cases of the virus between Jan. 9 – Jan. 15, 2022, compared to 213 cases the week of Dec. 12 – Dec. 18, 2021.

According to the VDH, between Monday, Jan. 10, and Monday, Jan. 17, Lunenburg County observed 167 new cases of the virus.