Alexandria Coronavirus Updates: 11 Cases At Retirement Community

ALEXANDRIA, VA — After Hermitage Northern Virginia announced its first positive case of the new coronavirus last week, a total of 11 residents tested positive as of Friday. The Alexandria retirement home says the positive cases of the new coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 illness, are among health care residents.

The facility coordinated with the Alexandria Health Department and Inova Alexandria Hospital to secure test kits for all health care residents after identifying a second case. Aside from the 11 positive cases, 13 residents tested negative.

Hermitage Northern Virginia says residents who tested positive are moved to a temporary isolation area at its health care center. Workers are using personal protective equipment to care for these residents. Families of residents who tested positive have been notified.

Other residents are being quarantined in their health care rooms. Residents in the main building and health care center must remain in their apartments or health care rooms, and workers must wear surgical masks during their shifts. The facility is working with the health department to identify other residents or workers who may have been exposed.

Hermitage Northern Virginia continues to restrict visitation with exceptions for visitors essential for a resident's care. Approved guests must answer screening questions and may be required to wear personal protective equipment. Workers are screened before their shifts and are asked to practice physical distancing when not at work. Dining venues are closed with residents receiving meal delivery service, but select dining areas in health services are operating. Restrictions continue until public health officials provide different guidance.

As of Friday, the health department reported 321 coronavirus cases and at least seven deaths. Cases are on the rise primarily due to community spread and additional testing capability from private health care providers.

Below are other updates on the coronavirus crisis in Alexandria. For more public health information and city operating updates, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus.

Respiratory clinic opening in Alexandria

Inova is opening a new respiratory illness clinic at 325 South Washington Street in Alexandria. The clinic will be open by appointment only from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Appointments can be made once individuals are screened by a primary care doctor and have a doctor's written order for a COVID-19 test. If a doctor cannot provide COVID-19 testing to a patient, he or she may refer the patient to a respiratory clinic.

Appointments are conducted vehicle-side. Patients without a written order or do not meet testing criteria will be directed to make an appointment at Inova Primary Care Old Town Alexandria for screening and potential testing.

For an appointment or evaluation at the Old Town respiratory clinic, call 703-683-7220.

Update on DASH Bus operator who tested positive

Patch reached out to DASH for more information on the bus driver who tested positive for COVID-19. Per DASH spokesperson Whitney Code, the bus operator was previously scheduled to run a backup bus in case a regular route was full. "The staged bus did not assist any of the buses on routes," said Code in an email to Patch. "The bus has since been thoroughly cleaned."

The driver not work on the day he or she began experiencing symptoms or the two previous days. He or she has mild symptoms and is recovering at home.

Feeding front-line workers and residents in need

Feed the Fight ALX launched last week branching off from the massive Feed the Fight DC effort. The initiative raises money to provide meals for health care workers, paying restaurants to make the meals. The meals are being delivered to Inova Alexandria Hospital, Inova Mount Vernon Hospital and Inova Fairfax Hospital. To donate, visit feedthefight.org/donate and specify that the donation goes to Alexandria and Fairfax.

On Tuesday, Alexandria City Council approved $100,000 in city matching funds for the ACT Now COVID-19 Response Fund, which gives grants to groups who provide critical services such as emergency food, rental assistance, child care, financial assistance and more. The city provided its first contribution of $100,000 on March 14.

For families in need of emergency food assistance, distribution sites at www.hungerfreealexandria.com and student meal sites from Alexandria City Public Schools. ALIVE has canceled its Saturday distribution until further notice.

On Thursday, Alexandria Restaurant Partners launched a fundraiser to provide meals for the homeless guests at Carpenter's Shelter. For every $10 donated, Alexandria Restaurant Partners will provide a meal; $300 will feed the whole shelter.

Let us know in the comments other ways to help neighbors in need with food assistance.

Alexandria City Council calls for rent moratorium

On Tuesday, Alexandria City Council approved Councilman Canek Aguirre's resolution to urge state and federal officials to consider a potential rent moratorium. The resolution calls on Gov. Ralph Northam to address the rental crisis and for Virginia's congressional delegation "to take action on the rental and mortgage crisis." It also requests suspension of "negative credit information by credit bureaus."

Last month, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson called on landlords to make a voluntary arrangement with tenants who are facing layoffs and furloughs, and floated additional suggestions to use supplemental funding to support rental assistance and eviction prevention services.

According to WAMU, residents at the Southern Towers apartment building called for a rent strike as some residents who lost jobs can't pay. The landlord told the news outlet late fees on April payments wouldn't be charged for residents "in good standing."

A Virginia State Supreme Court emergency order halted eviction proceedings through at least April 26. Last week, Northam proposed a legislative amendment that would grant Virginians behind on rent or mortgage a 60-day grace period before eviction or foreclosure. Under the proposal, that would apply once the court system is operating regularly.