Hundreds of new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Alexandria in the last week, as the number of positive cases has jumped to 5,366, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

That’s an increase of 356 cases since this time last week. There have also been 668 new cases reported in the city since Nov. 16.

No new deaths have been reported and the number of fatalities remains at 77.

There have also been 364 total hospitalizations since the onset of the pandemic in Alexandria. About one in 13 city residents who tested positive for the virus have been hospitalized, according to the Alexandria Health Department.

Across Virginia, there have been 4,062 deaths and there are or have been 237,835 cases of the virus. There have been 3.3 million PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and the state’s seven-day positivity rate is 7.5%.

Demographics

There are or have been 2,806 women (with 38 deaths) and 2,539 men (with 39 deaths) in Alexandria with the virus. The only age groups that have not experienced a death so far are children and teenagers.

• 80+    — 33 deaths, 150 cases
• 70-79 — 21 deaths, 179 cases
• 60-69 — Five deaths, 394 cases
• 50-59 — 14 deaths, 644 cases
• 40-49 — One death, 923 cases
• 30-39 — Two deaths, 1,219 cases
• 20-29 — One death, 1,079 cases
• 10-19  — Zero deaths, 374 cases
• 0-9     — Zero deaths, 382 cases

Latino residents have the most infections with 2,322 reported cases (with 13 deaths), white residents with 1,186 cases (40 deaths), and Black residents with 1,077 cases (19 deaths). There are 196 cases with Asian or Pacific Islander residents (and one death), 142 cases classified as “other” (with two deaths) and four native American cases (no deaths).

There have also been 43 outbreaks in the city, including 12 at long term care facilities, 24 in congregate settings, four in child care settings, one at a college, one in a K-12 setting and one at a correctional facility.

There have been 513 cases associated with the outbreaks. Health care workers also make up 353 positive COVID cases, according to VDH.

Testing Update

There have been 65,893 COVID tests administered in the city so far and 5,468 antibody tests. The city’s seven-day positivity rate is now at 6.3%.

• Arlington County has 6,299 cases, 157 deaths and a 4.8% seven-day positivity rate
• Fairfax County has 31,388 cases, 638 deaths and a 7.5% seven-day positivity rate
• Loudoun County has 10,049 cases, 143 deaths and a 7.3% seven-day positivity rate

Need a test? Find out where tests are administered here.

Cases By ZIP Code

Some of the areas share jurisdictions between Alexandria and Arlington and Fairfax Counties:

• 22301 — 210 cases, 5,883 people tested (Estimated population 15,171)
• 22302 — 604 cases, 10,426 people tested (Estimated population 20,238)
• 22304 — 1,696 cases, 19,443 people tested (Estimated population 54,003)
• 22305 — 1,025 cases, 7,664 people tested (Estimated population 16,095)
• 22311 — 938 cases, 8,692 people tested (Estimated population 16,898)
• 22312 — 1,333 cases, 11,059 people tested (Estimated population 6,901)
• 22314 — 613 cases, 13,785 people tested (Estimated population 47,826)

Photo via CDC/Unsplash

An Alexandria man in his 30s is the latest victim of COVID-19, as the number of cases in the city has ballooned over the past week.

The death count from the virus now stands at 77 in Alexandria.

There are or have been 5,010 cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria since the first case was reported in March, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

That’s an increase of 312 cases since Nov. 16. Mayor Justin Wilson tweeted that the city has not seen such an increase of cases since May.

A few thoughts about the uptick in Alexandria COVID cases:

1) We have now reached a level of known cases that we have not seen since May.

2) We just completed our HIGHEST week of testing ever.

3) Our hospitalizations remain low: half of our high, but double-ish our low. pic.twitter.com/lEYgTVNKTh

— Justin Wilson (@justindotnet) November 22, 2020

There have also been 348 total hospitalizations since the onset of the pandemic in Alexandria. About one in 13 city residents who tested positive for the virus have been hospitalized, according to the Alexandria Health Department.

The city is also advising residents to stay home this Thanksgiving, and on Saturday the annual Christmas Tree lighting at Market Square was celebrated virtually.

According to the city:

The best ways to stop the spread of COVID-19 remain wearing a mask in public, maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from others, and frequently washing your hands or carrying and using hand sanitizer with at least 60% ethyl alcohol. Help your loved ones and neighbors by answering a call from AHD if identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19, and download the Virginia Department of Health’s COVIDWISE app to be quickly and anonymously notified of likely exposure to the virus.

Across Virginia, there have been 3,942 deaths and there are or have been 221,038 cases of the virus. There have been 3.2 million PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and the state’s seven-day positivity rate is 7.2%.

Demographics

There are or have been 2,603 women (with 38 deaths) and 2,394 men (with 39 deaths) in Alexandria with the virus. The only age groups that have not experienced a death so far are children and teenagers.

• 80+    — 33 deaths, 140 cases
• 70-79 — 21 deaths, 163 cases
• 60-69 — Five deaths, 371 cases
• 50-59 — 14 deaths, 606 cases
• 40-49 — One death, 859 cases
• 30-39 — Two deaths, 1,140 cases
• 20-29 — One death, 1,011 cases
• 10-19  — Zero deaths, 342 cases
• 0-9     — Zero deaths, 361 cases

Latino residents have the most infections with 2,191 reported cases (with 13 deaths), white residents with 1,089 cases (40 deaths), and Black residents with 1,025 cases (19 deaths). There are 178 cases with Asian or Pacific Islander residents (and one death), 133 cases classified as “other” (with two deaths) and four native American cases (no deaths).

There have also been 41 outbreaks in the city, including 12 at long term care facilities, 22 in congregate settings, four in child care settings, one at a college, one in a K-12 setting and one at a correctional facility.

There have been 505 cases associated with the outbreaks. Health care workers also make up 336 positive COVID cases, according to VDH.

Testing Update

There have been 61,582 COVID tests administered in the city so far and 5,966 antibody tests. The city’s seven-day positivity rate is now at 6%.

• Arlington County has 5,856 cases, 157 deaths and a 7.1% seven-day positivity rate
• Fairfax County has 29,089 cases, 629 deaths and a 8.3% seven-day positivity rate
• Loudoun County has 9,345 cases, 139 deaths and a 8% seven-day positivity rate

Need a test? Inova is now offering vehicle-side and walk-in testing services for diagnosing flu and COVID-19, at the Victory Center parking lot (5001 Eisenhower Avenue).

Cases By ZIP Code

Some of the areas share jurisdictions between Alexandria and Arlington and Fairfax Counties:

• 22301 — 193 cases, 5,393 people tested (Estimated population 15,171)
• 22302 — 557 cases, 9,712 people tested (Estimated population 20,238)
• 22304 — 1,573 cases, 18,245 people tested (Estimated population 54,003)
• 22305 — 989 cases, 7,183 people tested (Estimated population 16,095)
• 22311 — 869 cases, 8,295 people tested (Estimated population 16,898)
• 22312 — 1,260 cases, 10,424 people tested (Estimated population 6,901)
• 22314 — 570 cases, 12,754 people tested (Estimated population 47,826)

Photo via CDC/Unsplash

There are or have been 4,698 cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria since the first case was reported in March, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

As case counts are growing throughout the region, Governor Ralph Northam’s newest restrictions also took effect Sunday night.

According to the City:

• All public and private in-person indoor and outdoor gatherings must be limited to 25, down from the current 250
• Everyone ages 5 and over will be required to wear masks in indoor public places, which is a decrease from the current age of 10
• All essential retail businesses, including grocery stores and pharmacies, must adhere to state guidelines for physical distancing, requiring face masks and enhanced sanitization. Violations will now be enforceable by the Virginia Department of Health as Class 1 misdemeanors. AHD and the City anticipate additional guidance in the coming days.
• Onsite alcohol sales, consumption and possession after 10 p.m. in any restaurant, dining establishment, food court, brewery, microbrewery, distillery, winery, or tasting room will be prohibited, and all such establishments must close by midnight. Bar areas of restaurants remain closed.

The City says that community transmission has shifted from low to moderate and there are now about 20 cases being reported every day.

“Regional hospitalizations, including the use of intensive care units and ventilators have also increased, suggesting that severe outcomes from COVID-19 persist despite the additional availability of testing and treatment options,” according to the city.

The death count from the virus remains unchanged at 76. Of the deaths, 98% have been residents above the age of 50.

Demographics

There are or have been 2,421 women (with 38 deaths) and 2,264 men (with 38 deaths) in Alexandria with the virus. The only age groups that have not experienced a death so far are children and teenagers.

• 80+    — 33 deaths, 132 cases
• 70-79 — 21 deaths, 156 cases
• 60-69 — Five deaths, 350 cases
• 50-59 — 14 deaths, 577 cases
• 40-49 — One death, 810 cases
• 30-39 — One death, 1,068 cases
• 20-29 — One death, 932 cases
• 10-19  — Zero deaths, 326 cases
• 0-9     — Zero deaths, 334 cases

Latino residents have the most infections with 2,098 reported cases (with 13 deaths), white residents with 995 cases (40 deaths), and Black residents with 973 cases (19 deaths). There are 168 cases with Asian or Pacific Islander residents (and one death), 127 cases classified as “other” (with two deaths) and four native American cases.

There have also been 39 outbreaks in the city, including 12 at long term care facilities, 20 in congregate settings, four in child care settings, one at a college, one in a K-12 setting and one at a correctional facility.

There have been 467 cases associated with the outbreaks. Health care workers also make up 319 positive COVID cases, according to VDH.

Across Virginia, there have been 3,806 deaths and there are or have been 204,637 cases of the virus. There have been 2.9 million PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and the state’s seven-day positivity rate is 7.3%.

There are or have been 4,517 cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria since the first case was reported in March, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

The City says that community transmission has shifted from low to moderate and there are now about 20 cases being reported every day. That’s roughly the pace of new cases being reported during late July and August.

“Regional hospitalizations, including the use of intensive care units and ventilators have also increased, suggesting that severe outcomes from COVID-19 persist despite the additional availability of testing and treatment options,” according to the city.

Alexandria is also recommending residents stay home this Thanksgiving and celebrate the holidays virtually.

The death count from the virus remains unchanged since last week at 76. Of the 76 deaths, 98% have been residents above the age of 50.

Demographics

There are or have been 2,331 women (with 38 deaths) and 2,173 men (with 38 deaths) in Alexandria with the virus. The only age groups that have not experienced a death so far are children and teenagers.

• 80+    — 33 deaths, 130 cases
• 70-79 — 21 deaths, 153 cases
• 60-69 — Five deaths, 334 cases
• 50-59 — 14 deaths, 562 cases
• 40-49 — One death, 774 cases
• 30-39 — One death, 1,031 cases
• 20-29 — One death, 882 cases
• 10-19  — Zero deaths, 317 cases
• 0-9     — Zero deaths, 322 cases

Latino residents have the most infections with 2,034 reported cases (with 13 deaths), white residents with 944 cases (40 deaths), and Black residents with 938 cases (19 deaths). There are 168 cases with Asian or Pacific Islander residents (and one death), 124 cases classified as “other” (with two deaths) and four native American cases.

There have also been 39 outbreaks in the city, including 12 at long term care facilities, 20 in congregate settings, four in child care settings, one at a college, one in a K-12 setting and one at a correctional facility.

There have been 464 cases associated with the outbreaks. Health care workers also make up 307 positive COVID cases, according to VDH.

Across Virginia, there have been 3,713 deaths and there are or have been 193,447 cases of the virus. There have been 2.8 million PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and the state’s seven-day positivity rate is 6.1%.

Beyer Says Trump Only Cares About Himself — “Trump doesn’t care about legal principles or the law. Trump doesn’t care about fair counts, and he doesn’t care about our democratic norms. Trump doesn’t care about his oath to protect the Constitution. The only thing Donald Trump cares about is Donald Trump.” [Twitter]

Mas Seafood to Open Retail Space in Old Town — “From the previous North Henry Street location, they supplied restaurants in Alexandria and Arlington, including Daniel O’Connell’s Pub, Fontaine Caffe & Creperie, Alexandria Pasty Shop and Belle Haven Pizzeria. While they had always been interested in doing retail sales, it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic upended their market that they were able to make the shift — almost by accident.” [Alexandria Living]

Outcasts Brass Band Jazzes Up Old Town — “Band members who can wear masks while playing wear their masks, and all band members wear masks in between songs. They also stand farther apart from one another and encourage audiences to practice social distancing and wear masks.” [Alex Times]

Alexandrian Sending Space Cube to Moon — “Alexandria’s Hudson Merrick is going to take a selfie in space. At least that is part of what he what he and 19 other carefully selected students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University are attempting in the latest space mission, the EagleCam CubeSat camera system. The first-of-its-kind student-led project aims to snap a third-person ‘selfie’ of a lunar lander touching down on the moon.” [Zebra]

DCHS Helping Residents with Medicare Open Enrollment — “Do you or someone you know need assistance with Medicare Open Enrollment? The Department of Community and Human Services can help. The Medicare health insurance program–for people age 65 or older, or under age 65 with certain disabilities or disease–encourages all enrollees to review their plans  to ensure the plans meet their needs. Open enrollment ends December 7.” [City of Alexandria]

Today’s Weather — “Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 72F. Winds light and variable. A mostly clear sky (in the evening). Low 46F. Winds light and variable.”[Weather.com]

New Job: Ministry Program Associate — “This is a full-time position at the Alfred Street Baptist Church (ASBC) located in Alexandria, Virginia. The incumbent is under the day-to-day supervision of the Liaison for Ministries and serves as Ministry Program Associate. This role is primarily responsible for providing direction and leadership to ministry leaders and staff in the areas of ministry program development, volunteer and event management and new ministry development.” [Indeed]

There are or have been 4,363 total cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria, which is an increase of 133 cases since last Monday, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

There have also been 325 total hospitalizations in the city (an increase of two hospitalizations since this time last week). The death count still stands at 74 with two probable cases associated with the virus.

The Alexandria Health Department says that one in 13 infected Alexandrians has been hospitalized.

According to the city:

An estimated 66% of Virginia adults who become infected never have symptoms, so everyone must maintain at least six feet of distance from others, wear a mask over both the nose and mouth, and carry and use hand sanitizer with at least 60% ethyl alcohol. Be prepared to help your family and neighbors by answering a call from AHD if you are identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive for COVID-19.

Across Virginia, there have been 3,658 deaths and there are or have been 183,418 cases of the virus. There have been 2.7 million PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and the state’s seven-day positivity rate is 5.8%.

Where are Alexandrians getting COVID-19 these days?

A majority of recent coronavirus cases in Alexandria might be the result of contacts at home, indoor gatherings and eating out, according to the Alexandria Health Department.

“The activities an individual participant reported may or may not have been the sources of COVID-19 exposure for that individual; however, they do demonstrate trends and suggest common links for people who become ill,” according to AHD.

The department interviewed 422 city residents with the virus from September 21 to October 19, and discovered the following trends:

• 44% lived with someone who recently had COVID-19
• 25% went to their workplace
• 10% went to a public event, social gathering, or entertainment activity, with most gatherings occurring indoors
• 7% travelled outside of the Alexandria/D.C. area, with most travel in the U.S.
• 7% went to a restaurant or bar, with two-thirds eating indoors and one-third eating outdoors

The Health Department recommends that residents avoid travel as much as possible, limit gatherings, wear face masks and take precautions when a family member tests positive for the virus.

There have been 74 confirmed COVID-related deaths in Alexandria, and there are or have been 4,248 cases since the pandemic started in March, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

There are or have been 4,230 total cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria, which is an increase of 107 cases since last Monday, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

There have also been 325 total hospitalizations in the city (an increase of two hospitalizations since this time last week). The death count stands at 74 with two probable cases associated with the virus.

The Alexandria Health Department says that one in 12 infected Alexandrians have been hospitalized.

Across Virginia, there have been 3,581 deaths and there are or have been 174,275 cases of the virus. There have been 2.53 million PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests and the state’s seven-day positivity rate is at 5%.

Free COVID-19 Testing Today in West End — “FREE COVID-19 TESTING! Tomorrow (Thursday) from 3 PM until 6 PM @NeighborhoodHth will be hosting another COVID-19 testing pop-up in partnership with the City. The event will be held at Burke Library at 4701 Seminary Road.” [Twitter]

Beyer Says Trump Has Made Fortune While in Office — “Donald Trump has a secret Chinese bank account, new properties in Scotland opened while he was in office, half a billion dollars owed to creditors like Deutsche Bank, licensing deals in Turkey, India, and the Philippines, and the Saudi government spent millions at his hotels.” [Twitter]

‘Top Chef’ Alum to Debut PLNT Burger Friday at Whole Foods — “In Old Town, you’ll find ‘Top Chef’ alum Spike Mendelsohn opening PLNT Burger Friday at Whole Foods at Carlyle, 1700 Duke St. The vegan fast-casual eatery serves up a variety of Beyond Burgers, a chili bowl, sweet potato fries, “blooms” fried onions and more. This will be the seventh PLNT Burger in the Northeast”.[Alexandria Living]

Port City Brewing Company Wins Beer Award — “WOW! We are so excited and honored to have won a Bronze Medal at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival for our Oktoberfest!” [Facebook]

Alexandria Drive-In Showing ‘The Mummy’ and ‘Casper’ on Halloween — “Announcing our movie lineup for Halloween Weekend!” [Facebook]

Today’s Weather — “Areas of patchy fog early. Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. High 78F. Winds light and variable. Partly cloudy early (in the evening) with increasing clouds overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]

New Job: Anthropologie Seasonal Customer Associate — “We are looking for individuals whose primary role will be to connect and engage with our customers in a socially responsible manner. Seasonal employees will typically work between 8 and 20 hours a week, with an average shift being 4 hours long. Please be prepared to discuss your holiday season availability.” [Indeed]

Beyer Says People Will Suffer Without Unemployment Insurance Program Extension — “”We’re making a deeply fundamental mistake not reauthorizing all our unemployment insurance programs. When we take the money away, that’s what’s been propping up consumer spending and the ability of people to get by.” [Twitter]

City Opens Additional Locations for Absentee Voting — “Absentee voting will be available at the Charles Beatley Library (5005 Duke St.) from October 23 through October 31, except Sundays. Absentee voting will also be available at Minnie Howard School (3801 W. Braddock Rd.) and George Washington Middle School (1005 Mt. Vernon Ave.), on Saturdays, October 24 and 31, only.  All three locations will have ballot drop boxes available during voting hours, which vary according to the list below.” [City of Alexandria]

West End Business Association Hosting PPP Loan Meeting — “The West End Business Association (WEBA) will host a virtual Lunch and Learn on Monday, October 26, 12:30-2 p.m., to help small business owners learn how to prepare for the PPP loan forgiveness application process. A panel of local experts will offer advice and guidelines to both the simple and the advanced applications. Registration is free for WEBA members and $10 for guests.” [City of Alexandria]

City Celebrating 20th Anniversary of the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy — “The virtual event will feature an annual summary of pregnancy data by the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) and a proclamation by Mayor Justin Wilson. Teen pregnancy in Alexandria has dropped 76% since 2000 to an all time low. This reflects good choices by teens, supported by evidence-based approaches to prevention from ACAP, City agencies and community partners, including Alexandria City Public Schools and AHD’s Teen Wellness Center.” [City of Alexandria]

Classical WETA’s Nicole Lacroix Narrates Alexandria Author’s New Thriller — “Nicole Lacroix can be heard every weekday afternoon on Classical WETA 90.9 FM. She has that familiar, soothing voice that tells listeners the stories behind their favorite pieces. Now she has a part-time gig: audiobook narrator. Recently, she completed her recording of Alexandria author John Adam Wasowicz’s new thriller, ‘Slaters Lane.’ On Wednesday, October 21, she will headline a virtual discussion of her work on the book from 7-8 p.m.” [Zebra]

Today’s Weather — “Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. Areas of patchy fog. High 79F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Clear skies with a few passing clouds (in the evening). Low near 60F. Winds light and variable.” [Weather.com]

New Job: Alexandria Environmental Health Outreach Specialist — “Alexandria Health Department (AHD) is seeking an experienced, self-motivated candidate to join our Environmental Health Outreach Specialist position. This position will investigate bite reports to prevent the spread of rabies within our community, manage mosquito complaints, and be responsible for championing outreach efforts within the City.” [Indeed]