WASHINGTON — The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) remains present around the country, as well as here in the DMV. Things like masks and social distancing are the most important to help combat the spread of the virus.
This blog details the latest updates on the coronavirus in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Check-in each day for what’s new, where each part of the DMV is at in its phased reopening plan and what direction the coronavirus trend is headed.
Have a question? Text it to us at 202-895-5599.
Updates on coronavirus cases come from health departments between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. every day.
Tracking the Coronavirus
- D.C.’s percent positivity rate has now been around 2.6% -- its all-time low – for 10 days (as of August 25, the most recent data for which data is available). The District has been averaging more than 4,000 new coronavirus tests a day over the past several weeks.
- The percentage of new coronavirus cases in Maryland coming from the under-30 population is on the rise again. As of Thursday, this demographic was now making up an average of 44% of new cases in the state over the past week. This is a function of under-30 cases mostly staying at the same rate over the past several weeks while the rest of the state has seen a decline in new cases.
- The coronavirus trend in both Montgomery and Prince George’s counties has been nearly flat for more than two weeks (Montgomery not down at all, Prince George’s down ~ 15%). Neither county will join the rest of Maryland in entering Phase 3 for the moment.
- Virginia is once again averaging more than 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus a day. The commonwealth’s seven-day average for daily cases dropped below the 1,000 mark on August 14 and had stayed below it for nearly three weeks – falling to 860 on August 21 before beginning to rise again.
Reopening the DMV
The latest in reopening news:
- Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced that the county will remain in Phase 2, despite the rest of Maryland entering Phase 3 starting this Friday.
- Gov. Larry Hogan said Maryland will enter the third and final stage of its reopening plan on Friday, September 4, at 5 p.m., with all businesses able to reopen. Details on what Phase 3 looks like here.
- Montgomery County will not enter Phase 3, despite Gov. Hogan's announcement. Here's the latest.
- D.C. released its latest quarantine list. Find it here.
- Virginia has begun Phase 3 of reopening. More details about Phase III in Virginia here.
- Gov. Ralph Northam has promised stricter enforcement of mask and social distancing rules.
- Gov. Northam has tightened some coronavirus restrictions in the Hampton Roads area.
- D.C. is now in Phase II of reopening. It means restaurants and non-essential retail can open indoors at 50% capacity and gyms and yoga studios can reopen with restrictions. Full details on what Phase II means in D.C. here.
- Metro returns to normal schedule with masks and social distancing still required. Here's the latest.
Previous Updates
September 2:
- More than 50,000 coronavirus tests have now been conducted in Ward 6 – far and away the ward with the most tests. Ward 5 ranks second with more than 38,000, and Ward 1 comes in third with 37,000.
- Maryland has maintained a percent positivity of 3.3% for its coronavirus tests for more than two consecutive weeks. The state has averaged more than 20,000 new tests a day since July 20.
- On Wednesday, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said the county would not be joining the rest of the state in Phase 3 when the transition happens.
- Virginia has reported significantly above-average coronavirus deaths over the past two days. The commonwealth reported 32 deaths on Tuesday and 29 on Wednesday. It has been averaging 17 deaths a day over the past week.
- The number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators or in ICU beds in Virginia has remained mostly flat over the past week – averaging about 140 and 260, respectively – but hasn’t declined far from the commonwealth’s all-time peak.
September 1:
- D.C. has continued to see declining numbers of COVID-19 patients in its hospitals. As of Tuesday, DC Health reports only 71 hospital beds in the District are now being used by coronavirus patients. The District began August with 102 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
- In Maryland’s D.C. metro counties, Prince George’s County continues to see its coronavirus trend decline, while Montgomery County has plateaued recently. As of Tuesday, Prince George’s County was averaging 97 new cases of the virus a day – down 17% from the week prior. Meanwhile, Montgomery County was averaging 67 new cases a day – the same number as a week earlier.
- Virginia’s coronavirus trend is moving upward again, and the commonwealth is averaging just under 1,000 cases a day once more. The last time Virginia’s seven-day average was above 1,000 was August 13. Since then, the average had declined to as low as 860 new cases a day, but has been rising again since August 21. As of Tuesday, Virginia is averaging 997 new cases a day.
- Deaths from the coronavirus also continue to rise again in Virginia. As of Tuesday, Virginia is averaging 17 new deaths a day from the virus. That’s more than twice what the commonwealth was seeing two weeks ago.
August 31:
- As of Monday, is averaging just 50 new cases of the coronavirus a day. That’s the city’s lowest average since July 10. However, D.C. has not been able to maintain the sustained downward trend it needs to move to Phase 3.
- As of Monday, Montgomery County has now reported more than 20,000 cases of the coronavirus. It joins Prince George’s County as one of only two Maryland counties to break that number.
- As of Sunday, the Maryland Department of Health reported there were only 358 hospital beds in use in the state for COVID-19 patients. That’s the lowest number since March.
- As of Monday, Virginia has reported more than 120,000 cases of the coronavirus.
- Virginia will end August having reported more than 30,000 new cases of the coronavirus during the month – the worst month yet for the commonwealth. Virginia reported 27,000 new cases in July, and just under 29,000 in May.
What precautions should you take?
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are unavailable.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Check the status of the virus in your state with your state health department's websites by tapping below: