Alexandria has experienced a summer surge in cases of COVID-19, and the health department is asking residents to remember the fundamentals of washing their hands and covering their sneezes.
There were 898 confirmed new cases (and no deaths) in the last 13 weeks in Alexandria, according to the Virginia Department of Health. That makes up for 30% of the 3,036 confirmed cases (and seven deaths) over the past year.
“We are noting an increase in cases in the summer, just like we see a winter wave of cases as well,” said Natalie Talis, a population health manager for the Alexandria Health Department (AHD).
The department has limited its interaction with local businesses to regular health inspections, as strict mask and distancing requirements were long ago lifted.
Free Covid tests are stil available at Alexandria libraries and at the Del Pepper Community Resource Center (4850 Mark Center Drive).
In the meantime, AHD recommends that residents wash their hands and cover their sneezes.
“I think unfortunately after Covid became less of a major threat, people kept forgetting to do that,” Talis said.
Since March 2020, there have been 34,326 cases, 89 deaths and 227 hospitalizations due to the coronavirus in Alexandria.
