Arlington Enters Phase 3; Latest Coronavirus Data

ARLINGTON, VA — Arlington County entered phase three of Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam's phased reopening of the state on Wednesday.

Arlington officials say the county will remain under a Safer at Home strategy, recommending that residents continue to practice social distancing, telework, and wear face coverings in indoor public settings, according to a county release. Businesses should also continue to follow physical distancing guidelines, including frequently cleaning and sanitizing high contact surfaces.

Under Safer at Home, Arlington residents should follow these guidelines:

• Safer at Home, especially if you are vulnerable
• Continued social distancing and teleworking
• Face coverings required in indoor public spaces
• Expanded business operations
• No social gatherings of more than 250 people

On Tuesday, Northam announced bar seating and gathering areas of restaurants will remain closed except for thru traffic during phase three.

The decision comes as some states see increases in coronavirus cases. Northam believes closing these areas will reduce the possibility of customers gathering without social distancing. Virginia's revised guidelines for bar areas are reflected in the executive order Northam issued for phase three.

The Virginia Department of Health confirmed Wednesday there were no new deaths in the Arlington Health District due to COVID-19, the disease associated with the new coronavirus. This is the second day in a row that no new deaths were reported. The total number of COVID-19 deaths stands at 132.

There are 18 new cases of COVID-19 in the Arlington Health District as of Wednesday morning, bringing the total number of cases in the health district to 2,484. This is the highest number of new cases reported in a single day since June 11, when 19 were reported.

In the health district, there are currently 418 hospitalized patients, which is the same as Tuesday.

As of Wednesday, there are 63,203 total cases statewide, according to data reported by the Virginia Department of Health. In Virginia, there have been 1,786 coronavirus-related deaths to date. There are currently 6,262 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

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There have been 17 coronavirus outbreaks in the Arlington Health District as of Tuesday, with 546 cases related to an outbreak. There have been 12 outbreaks at long term care facilities, two outbreaks at a congregate setting and three outbreaks in health care settings in Arlington. There have been 173 reported coronavirus cases in Arlington health care workers.

On Wednesday, Virginia health officials reported 22,782 COVID-19 tests have been taken in Arlington, with a 2.8 percent positivity rate. Statewide there have been 726,152 COVID-19 tests taken, with a 5.9 percent positivity rate.

Globally, more than 10.5 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and over 512,000 people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Wednesday morning. In the United States, more than 2.6 million people have been infected and over 127,000 people have diedfrom COVID-19.

The department of health breaks down the number of cases and deaths in Arlington by age, race and ethnicity.

The breakdown by age is as follows:

• 0-9: 44 cases
• 10-19: 93 cases
• 20-29: 423 cases
• 30-39: 449 cases
• 40-49: 426 cases
• 50-59: 380 cases
• 60-69: 282 cases
• 70-79: 172 cases
• 80+: 204 cases

Also see ...

• Bar Seating Will Remain Closed In Virginia's Phase Three
• Arlington Coronavirus Update: No New Deaths; 13 New Cases
• Rosslyn BID Gets Neighborhood Ready For Phase 3
• Virginia Winery Loses Challenge To Face Mask Requirement
• Coronavirus Hospitalizations Below 800 In Virginia, Phase 3 Nears
• Arlington Coronavirus Update: 2 New Cases After Jump On Sunday
• Virginia Still Experiencing Upward Trend In New Coronavirus Cases
• Arlington Coronavirus Update: 5 New Deaths; 4 New Cases
• Northam Addresses Eviction Proceedings, Phase 3 Reopening