The localities with the highest virus rates are shown in black or gray. the lowest in green. There is no green on this map. Courtesy of The Daily Yonder.

Here’s how thoroughly the omicron variant of COVID-19 has swept through Virginia: Now all but two localities show up in the highest infection categories. Those two are Covington and Williamsburg.

The Daily Yonder, a website that cover rural issues, produces a weekly map of infection rates based on the latest federal data. For the week ending January 15, Richmond County on the Northern Neck had the highest infection rate in the state. Lexington ranked second, Salem third, Galax fourth. Before omicron, the highest virus rates in the state were concentrated in Southwest Virginia. Now virus rates are more consistent statewide, although those localities at the lower end of a high scale do tend to be west of the Blue Ridge.

Here are the localities with the highest infection rates, as measured on a cases per 100,000 population basis:

  1. Greensville County 3,987.3, up from 1,446.7
  2. Richmond County 2,682.0, up from 1,219.1
  3. Lexington 2,592.0, up from 967.0
  4. Salem 2,565.1, up from 1,079.0
  5. Galax 2,505.1, up from 1,291.9

Here are the localities with the lowest infection rates:

  1. Williamsburg 307.6, up from 274.2
  2. Covington 469.5, up from 180.6
  3. Rappahannock County 569.9, up from 447.8
  4. Lee County 589.2, up from 491.0
  5. Grayson County 610.9, up from 385.9
  6. Tazewell County 640.5, up from 598.6
  7. Cumberland County 684.7, up from 644.4
  8. Rockbridge County 686.7, up from 265.8

No other localities were under 700 per 100,000. You can look up every locality in the country on The Daily Yonder’s interactive map here.