Updated July 28 at 2:30 p.m.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is evaluating whether he will impose new safety measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus. This as Virginia reports 958 new COVID-19 cases Sunday — nearly half of them are in the Eastern region, which includes Hampton Roads.
“We’ll be watching the public health data closely over the weekend — if the numbers don’t come down, we may have to take additional steps to blunt the spread of the virus,” Northam wrote on Twitter Saturday. “Wear a mask and practice physical distancing so we don’t have to move back.”
It’s unclear what measures are being considered.
Tuesday, Northam may announce new policies to curb the spread of the virus in hard-hit areas like Hampton Roads, according to the Virginian Pilot.
“The governor continues to evaluate a variety of options to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in areas like Hampton Roads, and the state and localities are stepping up their public communications to emphasize the importance of social distancing and wearing face coverings,” spokeswoman Marissa Astor told the newspaper.
Northam has recently directed inspectors to make unannounced visits to ensure businesses are complying with safety protocols.
The rate of increase in daily case tallies has slowed somewhat since mid-July. On Saturday, the commonwealth recorded 1,245 new cases, a notable spike, but health officials said this was due to a delay in data entry and “not a one day spike,” the Pilot reports.
Virginia’s positive test rate has also ticked up in recent weeks. It now stands at 7.5%, up from a low of 5.8% in late June, about a week before the state entered Phase 3. The WHO recommends governments reach a positivity rate of 5% or lower before easing restrictions.
Virginia is in Phase 3 of its reopening plan — putting it ahead of D.C. and Maryland which are both in their respective second stages of reopening. Under Phase 3, Virginia gatherings of up to 250 people are allowed and restaurants can operate without capacity limits, so long as they maintain social distance. Bar seating is still off-limits.
On Sunday, 1,174 people were hospitalized in Virginia, with 268 patients in the ICU. Three more people have died. The fatalities, on a seven-day moving average, have decreased over the course of July, though public health experts warn there can be a multi-week lag between a spike in cases and a rise in deaths.
New case numbers have also been increasing in D.C. and Maryland this month.
On Sunday, D.C. reported 63 new COVID-19 cases, bringing its total to 11,780. The District did not record any new deaths.
D.C. is experiencing an uptick in community spread of the virus, one of the key metrics that has guided reopening decisions. The positive test rate is 5.5%, within the city’s goal range for Phase 3.
In response to the rising case numbers, Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a strict mask order last week that requires people to wear masks in most circumstances outside the home. She also ordered the non-essential travelers from high-risk areas to complete a 14-day quarantine after arriving in the District.
D.C. Health Director LaQuandra Nesbitt drew a link between rising case numbers and young people traveling outside the District, according to the Washington Post.
“They are going to places like Florida, Texas, North Carolina … and then participating in some of those things that are part of our Phase 2 reopening, such as activities in restaurants, and more of the family gatherings,” Nesbitt told the Post.
Meanwhile, Maryland reported 694 new cases reported Sunday. The statewide positive test rate fell to 4.47%, though it is higher in some jurisdictions.
Gov. Larry Hogan has touted his state’s overall positivity rate — the seven-day moving has now been below 5% for a month.
On Sunday, there were 540 people hospitalized with 153 using ICU beds. Hospital bed use has been trending upward in Maryland, up from 385 in mid-July.
Locally, and nationwide, health experts have noted increased rates of infection among young people. On Sunday, people under 40 accounted for nearly half of Maryland’s new coronavirus cases, according to a press release. The positive test rate among residents under 35 is now 6.61%, compared to 3.45% among residents 35 and older. Hogan has called this trend “alarming” and urged local officials to crack down on restaurants that violate safety protocols.
The governor has stressed that Maryland’s reopening strategy is “safe” and “manageable.” Still, throughout the reopening process, he has given local governments the authority to tighten restrictions if they so choose. Last week, Baltimore once again barred indoor dining and Anne Arundel County put new limits on gathering size and ordered restaurants to close by 10 p.m.
This story was updated to correct where in the Eastern region Virginia is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases.
