COVID-19 Update: Cases Now at 1,110 in Alexandria, No New Deaths

There are now 1,110 probable and positive cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria, an increase of 50 cases since yesterday. No new deaths have been reported since yesterday, and fatalities from the virus remain at 29.

Most fatalities related to the virus have been people over the age of 50, although the highest numbers of those infected are in their 30s and 40s. There has been one death of a person in their 20s. The three most recent deaths were three women in their 80s (two white women, one black/African American woman).

The Virginia Department of Health is now providing data on cases by ZIP code, revealing that Alexandria’s poorest areas have been hit hardest by the virus. The 22305 ZIP code, which includes the Arlandria, Potomac Yard and Potomac West neighborhoods, has the largest number of reported cases at 317 and an estimated population of 16,095 residents.

The next highest is the 22304 ZIP code, which includes the Landmark area, the Duke Street corridor and the Cameron Station community, and has an estimated population of 54,003 residents and reported 296 cases.

“The ZIP codes with the highest rates of known COVID-19 cases in Alexandria are also the ZIP codes with higher concentrations of poverty, lower education levels, and crowded housing conditions,” according to a city news release. “The populations living in some ZIP codes have historically experienced discriminatory policies and systems, resulting in inequitable access to healthcare, economic opportunities and affordable housing.”

The city added, “Inequitable conditions have created disproportionate rates of chronic health issues resulting in large differences in life expectancy across Alexandria. Now, these chronic health issues also make people more susceptible to severe disease from COVID-19 infection. Additionally, these community members are more likely to work in jobs where they are underpaid, do not receive paid sick leave, and are not afforded telework opportunities, creating additional risk of exposure to the COVID-19 virus.”

On Thursday, Mayor Justin Wilson wrote a letter to Governor Ralph Northam asking that the state ease restrictions on providing health data on the city’s long-term care facilities, where more than half of the city’s COVID-19-related deaths have occurred. It is not clear if the three most recent deaths of women in their 80s occurred in a long-term care facility.

“There are very few jurisdictions in the Commonwealth who have been harder hit by COVID-19 than Alexandria,” Wilson wrote. “Particularly hard-hit by this pandemic have been the City’s Long-term Care Facilities. Alexandria has 9 such facilities, including 5 skilled nursing facilities and 4 assisted living facilities. Of these 9 facilities, 8 of them have been the location of COVID-19 outbreaks, leading to over half of our deaths from the virus.”

Statewide, there have been 769 reported deaths, which is an increase of 56 deaths since May 5, according to VDH. There are now 22,342 cases (21,274 confirmed, 1,068 probable) and 3,059 hospitalizations (including 20 probable cases). Additionally, 143,220 tests have been administered in Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Health did not update a large amount of data on cases in the city since yesterday. The previous day, on May 6, VDH reported a glitch on its website and did not release any updated data.

Below is the latest publicly available data, which was released to the public yesterday:

The age breakdown of deaths and new cases:

• 80+     —13 Deaths, 47 cases, 18 hospitalizations
• 70-79 — Seven deaths, 63 cases, 24 hospitalizations
• 60-69 — One death, 91 cases, 20 hospitalizations
• 50-59 — Seven deaths, 141 cases, 24 hospitalizations
• 40-49 — Zero deaths, 206 cases, 19 hospitalizations
• 30-39 — Zero deaths, 265 cases, 16 hospitalizations
• 20-29 — One death, 149 cases, three hospitalizations
• 10-19  — Zero deaths, 55 cases
• 0-9     — Zero deaths, 42 cases, three hospitalizations

There have been more than 300 new or probable cases in the city in the month of May alone. VDH also reported that there are 129 COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Alexandria, which is an increase of two patients since yesterday.

As of yesterday, there were reportedly 552 females with the virus (with 15 deaths and 57 hospitalizations) and 506 males (with 14 deaths and 70 hospitalizations) who tested positive for COVID-19 in the city. The sex of two cases was not reported.

VDH did not update the following racial and ethnic breakdown since yesterday:

• White, non-Hispanic residents — 370,51,19 19 deaths, 329 cases, 19 hospitalizations
• Black/African American residents — Five deaths, 159 cases, 37 hospitalizations
• Not Hispanic or Latino — 21 deaths, 334 cases, 69 hospitalizations
• Hispanic or Latino — Four Deaths, 463 Cases, 51 hospitalizations
• Not reported — Four deaths, 347 cases, 11 hospitalizations
• Other — One death, 184 cases, 28 hospitalizations

The full timeline of the spread so far:

• March 11 — First positive case reported
• March 15 — Second positive case reported
• March  17 — Fourth positive case reported
• March 24 — The number of cases jumps to 13
• March 25 — The number of cases increases to 14
• March 26 — The number of cases increases to 20
• March 27 — The number of cases increases to 24
• March 28 — The number of cases increases to 28
• March 29 — The number of cases increases to 32
• March 31 — The number of cases increases to 44
• April 1 — The number of cases increases to 55
• April 2 — The number of cases increases to 67
• April 3 — The number of cases increases to 77
• April 4 — The number of cases increases to 93
• April 5 — The number of cases increases to 104
• April 6 — The number of cases increases to 130 (First fatality reported)
• April 7 — The number of cases increases to 141
• April 8 — The number of cases increases to 149
• April 9 — The number of cases increases to 170
• April 10 — The number of cases increases to 181
• April 11 — The number of cases increases to 200
• April 12 — The number of cases increases to 225
• April 13 — The number of cases increases to 241 (Second fatality reported)
• April 14 — The number of cases increases to 248 (Third and fourth fatalities reported)
• April 15 — The number of cases increases to 273 (Fifth and sixth fatalities reported)
• April 16 — The number of cases increases to 303 (Seventh fatality reported)
• April 17 — The number of cases increases to 321
• April 18 — The number of cases increases to 354
• April 19 — The number of cases increases to 383 (Eighth fatality reported)
• April 20 — The number of cases increases to 421 (Ninth and tenth fatalities reported)
• April 21 — The number of cases increases to 462 (Fatalities now at 11)
• April 22 — The number of cases increases to 474 (Fatalities now at 13)
• April 23 — The number of cases increases to 512 (Fatalities now at 14)
• April 24 — The number of cases increases to 547 (Fatalities now at 15)
• April 25 — The number of cases increases to 575 (Fatalities now at 18)
• April 26 — The number of cases increases to 591 (Fatalities now at 19)
• April 27 — The number of cases increases to 627
• April 28 — The number of cases increases to 653 (Fatalities now at 20)
• April 29 — The number of cases increases to 700 (Fatalities now at 21)
• April 30 — The number of cases increases to 754
• May 1 — The number of cases increases to 802 (Fatalities now at 24)
• May 2 — The number of cases increases to 848 (Fatalities now at 26)
• May 3 — The number of cases increases to 899
• May 4 — The number of cases increases to 940
• May 5 —  The number of cases increases to 983
• May 6 —  New cases and fatalities not reported by VDH
• May 7 —  The number of cases increases to 1,060 (Fatalities now at 29)
• May 8 — The number of cases increases to 1,110