There have been six additional deaths from COVID-19 in Alexandria, as the death toll from the virus now stands at 83.
The victims were three men and two women, and three of the victims were in their 80s and two were in their 60s. Information on the sixth victim is not available, as the city says there is a reporting lag with the Virginia Department of Health.
In the latest virtual townhall, Mayor Justin Wilson said the largest source of COVID-19’s spread in Alexandria remains contact between family members or roommates.
“About 44% of folks who tested positive have lived with someone who recently had COVID,” Wilson said. “Household contact is a significant source.”
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.
With COVID-19 cases on the rise and the holiday travel season upon us, the Alexandria School Board on Monday approved a recommendation by Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. to delay an in-person plan bringing students back to school until January 2021.
Specifically, the move delays bringing back kindergarten through fifth graders with disabilities who receive self-contained Language Arts and Math, which was planned for Nov. 30, and middle schoolers in the citywide special education program in December. No new set dates were presented, and Hutchings told the Board on Monday that he is following the advice of the Alexandria Health Department and does not want to act impulsively.
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.
The city’s partnership with Neighborhood Health is continuing this month with a series of four free COVID-19 testing events in the city.
Testing covers everyone above the age of two, though anyone under 18 requires a parent or guardian present. Bringing ID and insurance cards is encouraged, but not required.
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.
People tend to fall into familiar patterns, and Alexandria Psychologist Dr. Eleni Boosalis wants her new podcast to help folks get unstuck.
“The pandemic has caused about half of people in the U.S. to have symptoms of anxiety and depression that are pretty severe,” Boosalis told ALXnow. “We also don’t have the benefit of social connections, or routine and predictability. It just seems like from moment to moment we don’t know what’s gonna happen, so everyone’s just in this perpetual state of anxiety right now.”
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.
Two more Alexandria residents have died from COVID-19, and the total case count in the city since the pandemic started in March is now at 4,444. That’s an increase of 81 cases since Monday.
A woman and a man in their 80s are the latest victims of the virus, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
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]
