DC Coronavirus Update: 1 Additional Death; 259 New Cases

WASHINGTON, DC — D.C. Department of Health confirmed 259 new positive cases of COVID-19, the illness associated with the new coronavirus, on Friday. That's up from the 244 reported on Thursday. This brings the District's total number of positive cases to date to 24,357.

D.C. Health also confirmed one new death in the District due to COVID-19 on Friday. The death was described as a 74-year-old man. The total number of deaths in the District stands at 709.

According to D.C. Health, 762,746 coronavirus tests have been administered in the District, 324,863 residents have been tested, and 17,493 have been cleared from isolation.

The District currently has 47 intensive care unit beds available out of 345 total intensive care unit beds. There are currently 222 in-use ventilators and 224 available. Also, there are 58 COVID-19-positive ICU patients.

District officials provided an update Thursday on when and who will be receiving the first round of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine once the Food and Drug Administration has approved it for use.

Once the District receives its initial round of vaccine doses, healthcare providers will undergo training on how to administer the vaccine and provide information to the public about it.

The District will be providing vaccinations in phases, with the first round of recipients consisting of healthcare workers and first responders. The federal government has assured the District that it will receive enough doses to vaccinate all 85,000 of the people in the first round.

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Globally, more than 69.7 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and over 1.5 million people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Friday morning. In the United States, more than 15.6 million people have been infected and over 292,000 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.

Also see ...

• Close The Washington Monument DC Delegate Says To Park Service
• COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Outlined For DC Residents
• DC Coronavirus Update: Total Positive Cases Top 24,000
• Eligible DC Residents To Receive One-Time Stimulus Check
• High-Contact Sports Prohibited In DC Due To Coronavirus
• DC Public Schools To Start New COVID-19 Testing Protocol
• DC Coronavirus Update: 1 Additional Death; 316 New Cases