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 average number of coronavirus cases continues to trend upward. The District is now reporting an average of 59 coronavirus cases a day, up from an average of 36 two weeks ago.
- D.C. reported no new deaths as a result of the coronavirus on Saturday
- Maryland has now conducted more than 3 million coronavirus tests, including more than 36,000 in the last 24 hours.
- Maryland is now averaging 618 coronavirus cases a day, up slightly from 549 two weeks ago.
- Virginia has now averaged more than 1,000 coronavirus cases a day for the past six days.
- The commonwealth is now averaging 1,048 cases per day, up 35% from two weeks ago.
Reopening the DMV
The latest in reopening news:
- A new order from Maryland's governor may allow fans to watch football in person again. Details here.
- County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced some youth sports registration would reopen to children in the county.
- Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks advises against trick-or-treating this Halloween, per CDC guidelines. Haunted houses will also not be allowed in the county this year.
- Prince George's County health authorities are also cautioning against "trunk or treat" events that draw people to parking lots where candy is given from trunks of cars – suggesting that residents participate in organized drive-thru alternatives.
- Mayor Bowser extends D.C.'s public health emergency order until Dec. 31, 2020. Read the full order here.
- D.C. Public Schools announces that a limited number of DCPS students can return to in-person learning starting in November. Read the detailed plan here.
- DC health released its latest list of high-risk states.
- D.C. announced a pilot that will allow a limited number of venues to host live entertainment. Here are the details.
- Maryland has entered the third and final stage of its reopening plan, with all businesses able to reopen. Details on what Phase 3 looks like here.
- Montgomery County has adjusted some of its Phase 2 guidelines. More here.
- Prince George's County, Maryland, remains in Phase 2, but released additional reopenings. Here's a look.
- Metro returns to a normal schedule with masks and social distancing still required. Here's the latest.
Previous Updates
October 16:
- In D.C., the city’s daily coronavirus case rate per 100,000 people declined on Wednesday – the most recent date available – for the first time in two weeks. At least some of that increase is likely attributable to the surge in testing D.C. saw after White House staffers began testing positive at the beginning of this month.
- Maryland’s D.C. metro counties have seen an upward trend in coronavirus cases again during October. Since September 30, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County have seen their daily coronavirus averages grow by 25% and 6%, respectively.
- As of Friday, Virginia was averaging 42% more new cases of the coronavirus a day than it was two weeks ago. The commonwealth had reported an average of more than 1,000 new cases each day over the past five days.
- Virginia also hit an all-time testing high this week. As of Monday – the most recent date available – the commonwealth was averaging more than 18,600 coronavirus tests a day. That’s more than 2,000 more tests a day than Virginia was averaging a month ago.
October 15:
- As of October 11, the most recent date available, DC Health reports that 11% of new cases in the city are coming from quarantined contacts. Those are people who have already been identified as having been in close contact with a positive case. That’s the city’s highest point yet for this metric – although still well below the 60% goal.
- In Maryland, the average percent positivity for people under the age of 35 has been on a downward trend since early September, when it reached as high as 5.2%. As of Wednesday, that number had dropped to 3.4% -- just .5% off from the average for Marylanders above 35.
- The percentage of cases represented by people under 30 in Maryland has also been on the decline. As of Wednesday, 36% of new cases in the state were in patients under 30 – a significant drop from mid-September, when that age group represented nearly half of all new cases in the state.
- In late September, the number of coronavirus patients in ICU beds in Virginia had dropped below 200 for the first time since the state entered Phase 2. Since then, however, that number has begun to rise again. As of Thursday, 220 COVID-19 patients were occupying ICU beds in the state and more than 100 were on ventilators.
October 14:
- DC Health reports the city has been losing ground over the month of October in the speed at which test results are coming back. The city’s goal is for results to be available in two days or less – which was the case for most of September. Since October 1, however, the city has experienced a slowing of test results. As of this week, DC Health now reports it takes an average of three days for results to come back, which the city considers to be an indicator of insufficient testing capacity.
- The above is likely because the city has seen a corresponding surge in people getting tested since October 1 – the day reports about White House staffers testing positive began to come out. The number of COVID-19 tests conducted per million people in D.C. jumped by 30% in the week immediately following White House adviser Hope Hicks’ reported positive result.
- Maryland is now averaging more than 600 new cases of the coronavirus a day for the first time since mid-September. As of Wednesday, the state’s seven-day average is 30% higher than where it began October.
- Virginia is now averaging 1,131 new cases of the coronavirus a day. That’s the commonwealth’s highest seven-day average since mid-August, and just 6% less than its all-time high.
- As of October 10 – the most recent date available – Virginia was reporting an average percent positivity rate for coronavirus tests of 4.6%. That’s the commonwealth’s lowest average positive rate for tests since the pandemic began. Relatedly, Virginia is now averaging nearly 18,000 COVID-19 tests a day – also its highest number since the start of the pandemic.
October 13:
- DC Health reports it has been able to complete a contact tracing interview within three days of a positive test for more than 70% of new cases throughout October. The city’s goal is more than 80% -- but that metric had dropped to around just half of cases at its low point in September.
- Meanwhile, the agency reports that less than half of new coronavirus cases have been willing to share close contact information with contact tracers. DC Health data shows that has been a consistent trend since July.
- In Maryland, the state department of health has reported a nearly 20% increase in acute hospital beds in use for coronavirus patients over the past two weeks. As of Tuesday, 300 acute hospital beds are in use to treat COVID-19 patients in the state. That’s Maryland’s highest point since August. In total, some 400 COVID-19 patients are currently being treated in Mary hospitals.
October 12:
- D.C.’s coronavirus trend has increased sharply over the past week – up 84% since dropping to its lowest levels since July at the beginning of this month. The city is now averaging nearly 70 new cases of the coronavirus a day.
- Maryland’s coronavirus trend has been on an upward trend for two weeks. The state is now averaging 22% more coronavirus case a day than it was at the end of September.
- More than 30,000 people in Prince George’s County have now tested positive for the coronavirus. In better news, the county’s average case rate per 100,000 residents has been declining since mid-September, when it was nearly 50% higher than the state average. As of Monday, the county’s average case rate was only about 12% higher than the state’s.
- Virginia’s average case rate has increased by 34% since October 1, and the commonwealth recorded its second-highest single day case count since the pandemic began last Thursday.
- Virginia’s average daily deaths from the coronavirus have been declining since mid-September when the commonwealth began reporting a backlog of unreported deaths. As of Monday, Virginia was averaging 12 new deaths from the coronavirus a day – four fewer a day than the beginning of October.
October 9:
- D.C. is now averaging 66 cases of the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 42 cases. That's an increase of 57%.
- D.C. is now averaging 1 deaths from the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 0 deaths. That's an increase of 0%.
- Today is not a record-high day for cases. D.C.'s current daily high is 335 cases.
- Today's case count is -81% lower than D.C.'s record high.
- Maryland is now averaging 581 cases of the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 463 cases. That's an increase of 25%.
- Maryland is now averaging 5 deaths from the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 7 deaths. That's a decrease of -29%.
- Today is not a record-high day for cases. Maryland's current daily high is 1784 cases.
- Today's case count is -69% lower than Maryland's record high.
- Virginia is now averaging 978 cases of the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 804 cases. That's an increase of 21%.
- Virginia is now averaging 12 deaths from the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 804 cases. That's an increase of 21%.
- Virginia is now averaging 12 deaths from the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 20 deaths. That's an increase of -40%.
- Today is not a record-high day for cases. Virginia's current daily high is 2015 cases.
- Today's case count is -60% lower than Virginia's record high.
October 8:
- The DMV region as a whole has surpassed 300,000 cases of the coronavirus Thursday. There are now 300,725 reported cases.
- D.C.’s coronavirus case average continues to trend upward. D.C. is now averaging 58 cases per day.
- Maryland's coronavirus case average is up 19% from where it was two weeks ago. The state is now averaging 559 cases of coronavirus a day.
- Virginia reported 1,844 cases of coronavirus on Thursday. Health officials say a surveillance system reporting issue reported an additional 689 cases that should have been reported on Wednesday, October 7.
October 7:
- D.C health officials reported 45 cases of coronavirus Wednesday, closer to the District's average number following Tuesday's report of more than 100 cases.
- D.C. is now averaging 53 cases of the virus per day, up from 43 cases two weeks ago.
- Maryland's average number of coronavirus cases per day is now 562. Up slightly from two weeks ago, when the state reported an average of 487 cases per day.
- Maryland reported 6 deaths from the coronavirus Wednesday. The state has maintained an average of three deaths a day for the last four days.
- Virginia reported 509 coronavirus cases on Wednesday. That's the commonwealth's lowest daily case count in a week.
- Virginia's average number of cases is now 774 cases. Two weeks ago it was 890 cases. That's a 14% drop.
October 6:
- D.C. sees a large spike and reports 105 new positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the city's overall positive case total to 15,652.
- No new deaths reported in D.C. for three days straight
- Virginia is now averaging over 800 positive cases of the coronavirus a day.
October 5:
- D.C. health officials reported zero new deaths from the coronavirus Monday.
- D.C. is now averaging 40 cases of coronavirus a day, down slightly from two weeks ago.
- Maryland is now averaging 3 deaths per day from coronavirus. That's the lowest average number of deaths since March.
- Maryland is now averaging 558 cases of coronavirus a day, about the same as the average number two weeks ago.
- Virginia health officials reported 3 deaths on Monday. A low number following the commonwealth's backlog issues.
- Virginia reported 687 new cases of coronavirus Monday, following a weekend where more than 1,000 cases were reported both Saturday and Sunday.
- The DMV region as a whole is nearing 300,000 coronavirus cases total. As of Monday 295,895 cases have been reported.
October 3:
- President Donald Trump's medical team says he's doing well following his coronavirus diagnosis Here's the latest.
- Senate Republicans have canceled legislative work until Oct. 19 due to coronavirus cases. What to know.
- D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's administration said it will be up to the White House Physician's Office to trace the people who may have been exposed to the president in D.C., and to offer them advice on what to do.
- D.C. health officials reported 50 coronavirus cases Saturday. That brings D.C.'s average number of cases per day to 36, down from an average of 50 per day two weeks ago.
- D.C. reported 0 new deaths from the coronavirus Saturday.
- Maryland testing positivity rate is up slightly to 2.98% Saturday.
- Maryland is now averaging 549 coronavirus cases a day.
- Virginia health officials reported 1,116 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday. The highest single-day figure since September 17.
- Virginia is now averaging 770 cases of coronavirus a day, down 20% from two weeks ago.
October 2:
- President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for coronavirus. Here's the latest.
- D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser's administration said it will be up to the White House Physician's Office to trace the people who may have been exposed to the president in D.C., and to offer them advice on what to do.
- D.C. reported 65 cases of the coronavirus Friday, doubling the 32 cases reported on Thursday.
- Despite those new cases, D.C.'s average number of cases remains at 37 per day, which is still down 28% from where it was two weeks ago.
- Maryland reported one additional death on Friday, following Thursday's report of no deaths.
- Maryland is now averaging 551 cases of the coronavirus a day. An 11% decrease from two weeks ago, when the state was averaging 619 cases.
- Virginia's death backlog seems to be resolved. The commonwealth average number of deaths remains at 16 as of Friday.
- Virginia is now averaging 750 cases of coronavirus a day, down 26% from two weeks ago.
October 1:
- Maryland is reporting no new deaths for the first time since March 28
- D.C. is now averaging 36 cases of the coronavirus a day. Two weeks ago it was averaging 54 cases
- Virginia is now averaging 16 deaths from the coronavirus a day.
- Indoor visitation can begin immediately at Maryland nursing homes that are not seeing a current coronavirus outbreak and have not had any new cases of the virus in the past two weeks
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: