There are currently 5,716,570 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, around the world and 1,699,933 confirmed cases across the country. The global total number of deaths stands at 356,124, and the United States’ at 100,442. Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University has been keeping up-to-date information through an interactive map.
As of Thursday morning, Virginia had 40,249 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 4,385 people hospitalized, 1,281 deaths and 275,074 people tested. Fairfax has the highest total number of cases, with 10,069 to date, with 1,266 hospitalized and 364 deaths. Arlington has reported 1,988 cases with 371 hospitalized and 109 deaths. Alexandria has 1,824 cases with 75 hospitalized and 42 deaths. Loudoun County has 2,274 cases with 155 hospitalized and 53 deaths and Prince William County has 6,320 cases (including Manassas and Manassas City), with 526 hospitalized and 115 deaths. You can keep up with the commonwealth’s daily updates here. (Virginia Department of Health)
Regional
The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, tallied in at 97,078 in the DMV on Thursday morning. Maryland reported 48,423 cases, Virginia reported 40,249 and Washington, DC reported 8,406. The death toll has reached a total of 4,118, with 2,392 in Maryland, 1,281 in Virginia and 445 in DC. (Virginia Department of Health; Maryland Department of Health; Stay Home DC!)
Local
Northern Virginia will join the rest of the commonwealth in phase one of reopening starting Friday, May 29, at midnight. The five jurisdictions, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Prince William County, have been on a two-week delay due to holding the majority of new cases in Virginia. Richmond and Accomack will also join in phase one reopening. On Tuesday, Gov. Ralph Northam announced a requirement for all citizens to wear masks in public buildings and while taking public transportation. (Inside NoVA)
Local
The Leesburg Town Council has voted to allow outdoor dining in phase one of reopening, where restaurants can extend their service to surrounding parking lots in order to meet the state’s requirements of only outdoor dining services. The vote was unanimous. (WTOP)
Local
Loudoun County Public Schools will hold in-person graduation ceremonies, with safety measures put in place, starting in June. A petition circulated that gathered signatures of hundreds of parents and supporters, and the county agreed the seniors would be allowed to walk individually at certain times. Students will be allowed to bring up to five family members and will have a designated area for receiving their diploma and taking photos. Because of Virginia’s phase one requirements, the schools are limited to no more than 10 people per ceremony. (WTOP)
Local
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria has distributed over 5,000 pounds of free pet supplies during the global pandemic through the Community Pet Pantry program. “We started receiving a greater level of requests in April. It was about 400% more than we would normally see in an average month,” said AWLA’s Gina Hardter. The program gives people necessity pet items such as wet and dry food, kitty litter and puppy training pads. The nonprofit also ran the Animeals program, which works with Meals on Wheels to provide monthly food deliveries to senior citizens. (WTOP)
Regional
Washington, DC will join Northern Virginia on Friday, entering phase one of reopening with slightly different eased restrictions than its commonwealth neighbor. But despite the opening, Smithsonian museums will remain closed as a precautionary measure, and continue with online programming. Under ReOpen DC plans, museums shall remain closed until the nation’s capital enters phase two, when it is recommended that museums open with limited capacity (five people per 1,000 square feet, not to exceed 50% capacity) and physical distancing. (WTOP)
Regional
In Maryland, starting at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 29, Gov. Larry Hogan will allow outdoor pools, day camps and outdoor dining to resume under strict social distancing rules. Leaders of Montgomery and Prince George’s counties—which have more residents, and more infections and deaths, than any other part of the state—so far have held off from easing the shutdown. (The Washington Post)
National
The U.S. death toll from COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has reached 100,000, in less than four months. “It’s as if every person in Edison, New Jersey, or Kenosha, Wisconsin, died. It’s half the population of Salt Lake City or Grand Rapids, Michigan. It’s about 20 times the number of people killed in homicides in that length of time, about twice the number who die of strokes,” reported The Washington Post. Nearly 14% of Americans know someone who has died of the virus. (The Washington Post)
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