After a day of grim, record-high metrics on Friday, D.C. and Virginia both reported their highest number of daily new COVID-19 cases seen during the pandemic on Saturday.

Saturday’s numbers come after the collective daily caseload for D.C., Maryland, and Virginia hit a new pandemic record on Friday, with 6,985 new infections.

D.C. recorded 392 new cases on Saturday, surpassing the previous record of 371 new cases set on Nov. 28. Saturday marks the third day in a row where the city has recorded a daily caseload topping 300.

On Friday, the city’s average daily case rate per 100,000 residents reached a pandemic peak of 29.04. On Saturday, that metric jumped to a new high of 31.38, per data from Dec. 3. The city’s average positivity rate, which measures the number of positive tests out of tests administered, is now 5.6% — a number last matched on June 12. D.C. recorded two new deaths, bringing the pandemic total death toll to 695 so far.

The average percentage of hospital beds utilized for treating COVID-19 patients is continuing to trend upward in the city, but D.C.’s acute care bed capacity continues to stay in the “moderate range,” according to benchmarks set by D.C. Health.

Virginia reported 3,793 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, breaking the previous daily case record of 3,242 set on Nov. 23. Virginia’s seven-day average positivity rate increased to 10.0% — double that of the expert-recommended 5% for reopening and up significantly from the 7% metric reported a little over a week ago. 

Hospitalizations in the commonwealth are the highest they have ever been during the pandemic, hovering around 1,850 patients for the past three days. While deaths decreased late last week and early this week, Virginia reported 37 new deaths due to COVID-19 on Saturday, bringing the state’s seven-day average death count back up to 20.4.

After shattering its daily case record with 3,792 new cases on Friday, Maryland recorded its second-highest ever total of 3,193 new cases on Saturday. The state’s average positivity rate, which in October had dipped below 3%, is now 8.04%, and acute care hospitalizations continue to surpass records set in the spring.

Daily death counts have been increasing in the state since mid-November, reaching a fall peak on Dec. 1 with a single-day count of 38. The state recorded 29 new deaths on Saturday, bringing the death toll to 4,649.