New Coronavirus Case Numbers Drop After One-Day Spike

ARLINGTON, VA — Virginia Department of Health confirmed 68 additional cases of COVID-19, the illness associated with the new coronavirus, Monday in the Arlington Health District. That's almost half the 132 new cases reported the day before.

Sunday's total of 132 was the second highest number of new cases reported in Arlington in a single day since the start of the pandemic. The highest single-day number was 152, which was reported on Dec. 6. The total number of cases in the county stands at 7,463.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam updated his stay-at-home order Thursday to modify restrictions already in place across the state to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The changes include a new statewide curfew, a universal mask requirement and lowering the size of social gatherings.

Under the curfew, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, residents must stay inside from midnight to 5 a.m., unless they are commuting to or from work, obtaining food and goods, or seeking medical attention.

No new deaths were reported in the Arlington Health District on Monday. The total number of COVID-19-related deaths in Arlington remains at 164.

A total of 612 people have been hospitalized in Arlington due to COVID-19.

VDH reported a total of 36 outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Arlington Health District on Monday.

There have been 24 outbreaks at long-term care facilities, seven in a congregate setting, one at a correctional facility, three in health care settings, and one at a college or a university.

The total number of cases associated with an outbreak is 738. There have been 269 reported coronavirus cases in Arlington involving health care workers.

VDH reported that 124,676 COVID-19 tests have been taken in Arlington, with a 7.8 percent positivity rate. Statewide there have been 4,358,482 COVID-19 tests taken, with a 10.7 percent positivity rate.

There have been 285,149 total cases statewide, according to data reported by the Virginia Department of Health. In Virginia, there have been 4,414 coronavirus-related deaths to date. There have been a total of 16,073 hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

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Globally, more than 72.3 million people have been infected by COVID-19, and over 1.6 million people have died, Johns Hopkins University reported Monday morning. In the United States, more than 16.2 million people have been infected and over 299,000 people have died from COVID-19.

VDH breaks down the number of cases and deaths in Arlington by age, race and ethnicity. The breakdown by age is as follows:

Arlington 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 ...

• Daily COVID-19 Cases Top 4,100 For First Time In Virginia
• Arlington Leader Welcomes Northam's New Coronavirus Mandates
• Statewide Curfew Mandated By Virginia Governor
• Arlington Coronavirus Update: 2 Additional Deaths; 35 New Cases
• Sheriff's Office Begins Testing Staff, Inmates For COVID-19
• New Coronavirus Cases Above 4,000 In Virginia For First Time
• Total Coronavirus Cases Top 7,000 In Arlington; 118 New Cases
• Sobering COVID-19 Numbers Shared By Arlington Health Director