There are over 1,860,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, around the world and over 2,800,000 have been tested in the United States. The global total number of deaths stands at 114,983. Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University has been keeping up-to-date information through an interactive map.
Virginia now has 5,274 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 872 people hospitalized, 141 deaths and 39,985 people tested. Fairfax has the highest total number of cases, with 1,008 to date. Arlington has reported 366, Alexandria has 198, Loudoun County has 309 and Prince William County has 433 (including Manassas and Manassas City). You can keep up with the commonwealth’s daily updates here. (Virginia Department of Health)
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Across the DMV, the total number of confirmed cases stands at 15,397, as of Monday morning. There are currently 5,274 cases in Virginia, 8,228 cases in Maryland and 1,879 in Washington, DC. There have been a total of 427 fatalities, with 235 in Maryland, 141 in Virginia and 51 in DC. (The Washington Post)
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On Sunday, Gov. Ralph Northam made sweeping changes to legislation in response to the economic fallout from COVID-19. The governor froze all new state spending in the 2021 budget, and delayed the increase of minimum wage to May 2021. He also repealed the state’s voter ID law, made Election Day a state holiday and expanded absentee voting to be in effect prior to the November elections. In other legislation, he amended a bill that will decriminalize simple possession of marijuana in Virginia, and signed the Virginia Value Act, making the state the first in the South to extend anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ citizens in housing, employment, public spaces and credit applications. (The Washington Post)
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Wegmans is now limiting the number of guests in its stores, joining Giant and Safeway, to an estimated 15% to 20% of capacity at each location. The company will monitor traffic entering and exiting the store throughout the day, and has also increased all workers’ pay by $2 per hour during the pandemic. (WTOP)
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The City of Falls Church had to cancel its annual Easter Egg Hunt this year, but that didn’t stop the city’s two Easter bunnies from visiting children around town. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny split up and took two routes through the city, and local police officers escorted them through the streets to wave at families. (WTOP)
The spread of COVID-19 continues to impact the Northern Virginia region on a daily basis. If you’re looking for ways to stay entertained at home, check out our Things to Do page, and stay up to date by subscribing to our weekly newsletters.
