District Prepares For 2nd Stage Of Reopening Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nearly 8,000 Washington, D.C., residents have now tested positive for the coronavirus.

According to Mayor Muriel Bowser, health authorities reported 73 new cases Friday, bringing the total to 7,966. The district also reported nine more deaths from the coronavirus for a total of 427 deaths.

The latest residents to die from the coronavirus were:

• 45-year-old man
• 46-year-old man
• 49-year-old woman
• 56-year-old woman
• 58-year-old man
• 73-year-old man
• 77-year-old man
• 77-year-old man
• 84-year-old man

On Friday, Bowser announced that the district is close to meeting the threshold to conclude the first stage of its reopening plan and begin the second stage.

Under the metrics being used for the district's phased reopening plan, the first phase must see a sustained decrease in the number of positive coronavirus cases for 14 days. As of May 20, the district had experienced a decrease for 12 days.

The district also must have more than 80 percent capacity at health care facilities for seven days. On Friday, the district reported a 77 percent occupancy rate for the past two weeks.

The District Economic Recovery Team will host a virtual town hall meeting Tuesday, May 26 at 4 p.m. with the U.S. Small Business Administration to give an update on how the business community is dealing with the coronavirus crisis. The guest presenter will be Roderick Johnson, project manager for the Small Business Development Center.

Joining him will be John Falcicchio, acting deputy mayor for planning and economic redevelopment, Kristi Whitfield, director of the Department of Small and Local Business Development, and Sybongile Cook, director of business development and strategy for the mayor.

See Also:

• Bowser Announces Possible Date For Reopening DC
• Nearly 43,000 DC Residents Tested For Coronavirus To Date

Courtesy DMPED