Two More COVID-19 Deaths in Alexandria, Cases Jump to 1,460

Two more people have died from COVID-19 in Alexandria, bringing the death toll from the virus to 34. There are also 1,460 cases reported in the city, an increase of 64 cases since yesterday, which is the largest jump since the first case was announced on March 11, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

A woman and man in their 80s are the latest victims of the virus.  A large percentage of deaths have occurred at long-term care facilities, and there has been one death of a person in their 20s. There have been 16 reported deaths of residents in their 80s. One was a white resident who passed away in the hospital and the race of the other victim was not reported.

There are more than 500 new or probable cases in the city in the month of May alone.

There are 748 females with the virus (with 18 deaths and 71 hospitalizations) and 708 males (with 16 deaths and 87 hospitalizations) who tested positive for COVID-19 in the city. The sex of four cases was not reported.

VDH also reported that there are 152 COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Alexandria, and that there have been 124 cases associated with 11 outbreaks in the city, and that 98 of those cases have been health care workers. Nine of the outbreaks occurred at long-term care facilities, and 15 deaths have occurred at such facilities, although that number has not been updated since the city’s release on May 2. The other outbreaks occurred at a “congregate” setting and an educational setting.

It is not clear how many people have recovered from the virus, and an accurate count on the number of cases is difficult to maintain in Alexandria since the highest infection rates are in the city’s poorest areas.

History of Discrimination Against Poor Families

The Alexandria Health Department reported that certain ZIP codes in the family have “historically experienced discriminatory policies and systems, resulting in inequitable access to healthcare, economic opportunities and affordable housing.”

“Now, these chronic health issues also make people more susceptible to severe disease from COVID-19 infection,” the department reported on May 7. “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.”

According to available information, the city’s Hispanic population leads with positive cases at 672 cases, 69 hospitalizations and four reported deaths.

The areas of the city with the leading number of cases is the 22304 and 22305 ZIP codes, which include the West End and Arlandria, Potomac Yard and Potomac West neighborhoods. As of today, there are 429 cases in 22304, which has an estimated population of 54,003 people, and in 22305 there are 415 cases (with an estimated population of 16,095).

Meanwhile, local groups are demanding that Virginia Governor Ralph Northam authorize supplying thousands of testing kits to the Arlandria area, and providing housing for poor COVID-positive patients living in jam-packed housing.

People under the age of 50 have been getting infected in greater numbers, while residents above the age of 70 make up a fifth of the total number of cases.

The age breakdown of deaths and new cases:

• 80+     — 16 Deaths, 64 cases, 20 hospitalizations (Six new hospitalizations)
• 70-79 — Nine deaths, 77 cases, 29 hospitalizations (Six new cases, one new hospitalizations)
• 60-69 — One death, 130 cases, 25 hospitalizations (Eight new cases, one new hospitalization)
• 50-59 — Seven deaths, 194 cases, 32 hospitalizations (Nine new cases)
• 40-49 — Zero deaths, 280 cases, 24 hospitalizations (11 new cases)
• 30-39 — Zero deaths, 338 cases, 20 hospitalizations (10 new cases, two new hospitalizations)
• 20-29 — One death, 215 cases, five hospitalizations (11 new cases, one new hospitalization)
• 10-19  — Zero deaths, 96 cases, one hospitalization (12 new cases)
• 0-9     — Zero deaths, 63 cases, two hospitalizations (Three new cases)

Statewide, there have been 977 reported deaths, which is an increase of 22 deaths since yesterday, and 944 of those deaths are confirmed to have been COVID-19-related, according to VDH. There are now 28,672 (27,293 confirmed, 1,379 probable) and 3,657 hospitalizations (including 27 probable cases).

VDH reported that 4,661 Alexandria residents have been tested for the virus so far, and the state was recently criticized after 15,000 test results included antibody tests. VDH now reports 184,118 tests have been administered, versus the 185,551 number of tests that were reported on May 14.

The following ZIP Code Data includes areas that share jurisdictions between Alexandria and Arlington and Fairfax Counties:

22301 — 55 cases, 431 people tested (Estimated population 15,171) Six new cases, 24 new tests

22302 — 151 cases, 590 people tested (Estimated population 20,238) 10 new cases, 38 new tests

22304 — 429 cases, 1,700 people tested (Estimated population 54,003) 20 new cases, 81 new tests

22305 — 415 cases, 862 people tested (Estimated population 16,095) 17 new cases, 48 new tests

22311 — 265 cases, 766 people tested (Estimated population 16,898) 10 new cases, 32 new tests

22312 — 295 cases, 1,008 people tested (Estimated population 6,901) 10 new cases, 55 new tests

22314 — 138 cases, 1,043 people tested (Estimated population 47,826) Four new cases, 129 new tests

The City acknowledged that VDH and the Alexandria Health Department have “significant gaps in non-reporting of racial and ethnic demographics in this data.”

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

• Hispanic or Latino — Four Deaths, 672 cases, 69 hospitalizations
• White, non-Hispanic residents — 23 deaths, 542 cases, 60 hospitalizations
• Black/African American residents — Six deaths, 221 cases, 44 hospitalizations
• Not Hispanic or Latino — 26 deaths, 472 cases, 83 hospitalizations
• Not reported — Four deaths, 420 cases, 14 hospitalizations
• Other — One death, 277 cases, 40 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
• May 9 — The number of cases increases to 1,142 (Fatalities now at 30)
• May 10 — The number of cases increases to 1,193
• May 11 — The number of cases increases to 1,224
• May 12 — The number of cases increases to 1,240
• May 13 — The number of cases increases to 1,305 (Fatalities now at 31)
• May 14 — The number of cases increases to 1,349 (Fatalities now at 32)
• May 15 — The number of cases increases to 1,396
• May 16 — The number of cases increases to 1460 (Fatalities now at 34)