According to data from the Virginia Department of Health, Black people account for an imbalanced number of Coronavirus deaths that have been reported within the Prince William County area. 

As of Wednesday, April 22, 2020, 17 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in the  Prince William Health District, and eight of those who died with the virus were Black. According to county demographics, less than 25% of county residents are Black or African American.

“The county must do everything we can to guarantee that residents have access to COVID medical services including testing and treatment,” said Supervisor Margaret Franklin (D-Woodbridge). “We must also do the necessary outreach in communities of color, outlining how to stay safe and seek treatment. This means sharing risk factors and guaranteeing that all COVID related resources are available in various languages.”

Statewide, more than a third of COVID-19 cases have not reported racial data. However, according to national data, nearly one third of all Coronavirus patients are Black despite the fact that only 13% of the United States population is Black.

These disparities are not unique to the Coronavirus Pandemic; disparities in healthcare toward Black people in the United States are common. Statistics released by the CDC in January show that Black women are more than 2.6 times more likely to die during childbirth than their white counterparts. 

The Virginia Department of Health could not be reached for comment.