5 New Coronavirus Deaths In DC After 2 Days With No New Deaths

WASHINGTON, DC — D.C. Department of Health reported five new deaths Tuesday due to COVID-19, the illness associated with the coronavirus. These deaths follow two days where D.C. Health reported no new deaths in the District due to the disease. The total number of deaths in the District to COVID-19stands at 515.

D.C. Health also confirmed 19 new positive cases of COVID-19, Tuesday, bringing the District's total number of positive cases to 9,818.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed Monday the District could enter Phase 2 of its phased reopening as soon as Friday, provided the numbers health officials are using to track the progress of the new coronavirus continue to improve.

The District has experienced 12 days out of a 14 day decline in a sustained decrease in cases of COVID-19, one of the metrics D.C. Health measures to determine when it will move into the next phase of its phased reopening. In addition, the District's utilization of hospital beds has remained under 80 percent for 13 out of 14 days.

According to D.C. Health, 67,126 COVID-19 tests have been administered in the District, 53,458 D.C. residents have been tested, and 1,155 have been cleared from isolation.

The District currently has 78 intensive care unit beds available out of 345 total intensive care unit beds. There are currently 192 in-use ventilators and 70 COVID-19 positive ICU patients.

Globally, more than 8 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and over 437,000 people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Tuesday morning. In the United States, more than 2.1 million people have been infected and over 116,000 people have died from COVID-19.

District residents should take the following actions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick
• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. An alcohol-based hand sanitizer can be used if soap and water are not available
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces

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