There are currently 12,292,678 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, around the world and 3,118,168 confirmed cases across the country. The global total number of deaths stands at 555,493, and the United States’ at 133,291. Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University has been keeping up-to-date information through an interactive map.
As of Friday morning, Virginia had 67,988 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 6,625 people hospitalized, 1,937 deaths and 750,631 people tested. Fairfax has the highest total number of cases, with 14,284 to date, with 1,701 hospitalized and 497 deaths. Arlington has reported 2,567 cases with 423 hospitalized and 132 deaths. Alexandria has 2,419 cases with 244 hospitalized and 57 deaths. Loudoun County has 4,319 cases with 286 hospitalized and 99 deaths and Prince William County has 9,602 cases (including Manassas and Manassas City), with 847 hospitalized and 179 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 150,114 in the DMV on Friday morning. Maryland reported 71,447 cases, Virginia reported 67,988 and Washington, DC reported 10,679. The death toll has reached a total of 5,665, with 3,160 in Maryland, 1,937 in Virginia and 568 in DC. (Virginia Department of Health; Maryland Department of Health; Stay Home DC!)
Local
The Fairfax County School Board voted to delay the start of the 2020-2021 school year by two weeks, moving the date from Tuesday, Aug. 25 to Tuesday, Sept. 8. Board members said the additional time for opening would allow for further professional development for faculty and staff, give an opportunity for teachers to further plan instruction and finalize transportation and other operational details. Fairfax County Public Schools is currently giving parents, guardians and teachers the opportunity to choose a hybrid method or an entirely remote instruction schedule, with the deadline to submit decisions by this week. (WTOP)
Regional
A DC-based doctor at Children’s National Hospital is warning parents—and the country—that a positive coronavirus test in a child could potentially trigger Type 1 diabetes. Early warning signs of the new onset include hunger and eating, drinking and urinating more. “It’s not just the virus. You have to have a constellation of certain genes that makes you more susceptible. And then—think of it as a two-hit type thing—then the virus can trigger the response to develop antibodies against pancreatic islet cells,” Dr. Cogen said. (WTOP)
Statewide
Virginia will not release data on COVID-19 outbreaks at state poultry plants, announced by InsideNoVA after a Freedom of Information Act was requested in order to obtain the data on the areas (often cited for their consistent and large outbreaks during the pandemic). Although, the state has reversed course and released data on senior care facilities, as well as those that have reported high numbers of positive cases and deaths across the state. The state has cited privacy concerns as the reason to not release data related to the meat processing plants. (InsideNoVA)
National
Deaths for COVID-19 have been trending upward in the past week, following a surge of hospitalizations and new infections across the country. Hard-hit states including Florida, Arizona, Texas and more are continuing to set new record highs each day, and doctors are warning of full ICU beds and hospital rooms. In Mississippi, a dire warning was presented by the state’s health officer: ICU beds across the state are now stretched so thin (and so unavailable) that “Mississippi hospitals cannot take care of Mississippi patients.” (The Washington Post)
Global
The World Health Organization is acknowledging the possibility of airborne transmission for the novel coronavirus after 200 scientists wrote a letter expressing concern over the virus’s spread and urged the global organization to do so. More studies need to be conducted, but if found of airborne transmission, droplets of the contagious virus could linger in the air for up to three hours. (The Washington Post)
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