FALLS CHURCH, Va. — For the third straight day Virginia health authorities are reporting a drop in the state’s number of new coronavirus cases.

Numbers released Monday by the Virginia Department of Health show 453 new coronavirus cases reported in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 8,990. The death toll increased from 277 to 300.

The drop in new cases marks the first time since the virus arrived in Virginia that the state has reported three consecutive days of declines, according to data kept by the Virginia Public Access Project.

Northam and federal officials have indicated they want to see a 14-day trend of declining cases before phasing in an end to the restrictions on businesses that Northam imposed in a series of executive orders to fight the spread of the virus.

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