As the coronavirus caseload rises to record levels across the region and the nation, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says to expect new restrictions on activities “soon.”

The District reported 245 new cases today, the largest one-day total since May. The District also reported five deaths.

D.C. never entered Phase 3 of its reopening plan like other states in the region, but Bowser says her team is working on ideas to help stem the increase in cases.

“We want interventions that we think give us the chance to drive our numbers down as we go into winter,” Bowser said at a press conference Wednesday. “So our business owners or social gatherings, people can expect that we won’t be able to maintain this level.”

Maryland has already tightened the number of people allowed to gather indoors and nixed crowds at sporting events.

Virginia announced new restrictions last week as the state sees runaway growth in COVID-19 infections. Those guidelines include restricting gatherings to 25 people or fewer, lowering the age of mask requirements in the state from 10 years to five years, and imposing a 10 p.m. curfew for serving alcohol and a midnight curfew for restaurants.

Gov. Ralph Northam declined to ban indoor dining in restaurants or impose travel restrictions, as some other states have, instead urging Virginians to be mindful as they plan Thanksgiving dinners. “Think hard about how you celebrate this holiday,” Northam told reporters Wednesday. “This year, staying home is an act of love too.”

The District is also ramping up testing starting Monday, adding a new testing site and extending hours elsewhere.

A garage at Nationals Park, 16 N St. SE, will open Monday through Friday from 2:30-7:30 p.m. It was created as a warmer area for the winter. While it’s not indoors, it can be heated and has less exposure to the elements. Other major testing areas will be getting tents and heaters in some areas.

Firehouse testing sites will see their hours extended 30 minutes earlier and 30 minutes later,  to 2:30-7:30 p.m. Other testing sites, like the UDC campus near Fort Totten, Judiciary Square and Anacostia, will open a half-hour earlier, at 8:30 a.m., and stay open until 1 p.m.

Testing will be closed on Thanksgiving, but open on Friday. Additional hours at four firehouses (2531 Sherman St. NW, 1520 C St. SE, 1342 Florida Ave. NE and 4930 Connecticut Ave. NW) are planned for the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Those will be open 12-4 p.m.

Chris Geldart, director of the Department of Public Works, says the District is issuing about 3,500-4,200 tests per day, an uptick from about 1,500 a day in early October.

His staff has asked people in line about why they’re getting tested. Some are preparing to travel for Thanksgiving, others have been exposed to someone with the virus, and others need tests for work.

Geldart says the District has been able to keep up with demand and is not experiencing testing supply shortages.

Bowser said testing should be paired with mask-wearing, social distancing and practicing good hygiene like washing your hands and not touching your face. Tests should be taken 3-5 days after potential exposure to reduce false negatives because there might not be enough viral load yet to be detected.

The mayor also encouraged people to have frank conversations with their families and roommates.

“Household spread continues to be a concern,” Bowser said. “Contact tracing data indicates that many Washingtonians are still getting infected or likely getting infected at home.”

Also starting Monday, the District will collect insurance information at testing sites in hopes of recouping costs from insurance companies.

“The proper places for those costs are the insurance companies,” Bowser said. “So we’re asking people to please, please just take a couple of extra minutes, get your insurance card and pre-register with that information, because that is, in the long run, going to help us with other parts of our recovery.”

The District has been paying for the free testing sites, and the tests will remain free.

“No one will be turned away, no one will be charged a copay,” Bowser said. “Insurance companies should pay for the test and we want to collect info so they might.”

Daniella Cheslow contributed reporting. This story has been updated to include information about coronavirus testing in Virginia.