Alexandria Coronavirus: Long-Term Care Facility Data, Phase 3

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As Alexandria prepares for phase three of reopening, 16 additional coronavirus cases and six deaths were reported Friday. The city's cumulative totals are 2,287 cases, 237 hospitalizations and 56 deaths.

In a virtual town hall Thursday, Mayor Justin Wilson noted new information long-term care facilities is available after he called for more transparency on data. Specific facility information wasn't released due to an interpretation of Virginia law, but limited information is posted on Virginia's long-term care task force web page.

"I think for families, and employees, and families of employees at those facilities, we felt that was an important level of transparency," said Wilson. "The folks who are working in those facilities are doing an amazing job under incredibly difficult circumstances. Each one of those facilities presents their own specific set of challenges, but they are all congregate living arrangements, which is a high-risk situation for the spread of COVID-19, and you're dealing with populations that are already very vulnerable."

The Virginia Department of Health reported 12 outbreaks in Alexandria, 10 of which are in long-term care facilities. Outbreaks are defined as two or more laboratory-confirmed cases. Case data is available for six of those facilities:

• Envoy of Alexandria: 56 cases, 10 deaths, VDH notified of outbreak on April 3
• The Fountains at Washington House: 26 cases, deaths not posted for privacy reasons, VDH notified of outbreak on April 24
• Hermitage Northern Virginia: 30 cases, five deaths, VDH notified of outbreak on April 16
• Silverado Alexandria Memory Care Community: 30 cases, nine deaths, VDH notified of outbreak on April 11
• Sunrise of Alexandria: 18 cases, deaths not posted for privacy reasons, VDH notified of outbreak on April 30
• The Fountains at Washington House: 26 cases, deaths not posted for privacy reasons, VDH notified of outbreak on April 24
• Woodbine Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center: 39 cases, deaths not posted for privacy reasons, VDH notified of outbreak on April 17

"Out of the 50 deaths that we've had in the city [as of Thursday], 22 of them have come from... three long-term care facilities in the city," Wilson said. He added that these facilities account for a small portion of the city's overall cases.

As of June 22, Alexandria's 7-day positive rate of tests is 5.2 percent, which is lower than the 5.8 percent statewide average. The positive rate had peaked at 40 percent on April 24. To date, there have been 14,413 polymerase chain reaction (PCR or nasal swab) tests completed in Alexandria. The health department is expected to enter a partnership with the state to conduct targeted testing in hard-hit areas and populations of the city.

Inova Alexandria Hospital capacity was at 61 percent on Thursday, which is lower than normal circumstances, according to Wilson. The hospital has 13 current COVID-19 patients, while Inova Health System as a whole has 88 COVID-19 patients. The Inova Health System has reported 337 deaths and 2,540 discharged patients.

Alexandria is expected to start phase three of reopening on Wednesday, July 1. The Northern Virginia region had delayed starts to phases one and two, but Gov. Ralph Northam will allow the entire state to enter phase three at the same time.

Phase three will increase the social gathering limit from 50 to 250 people, removes capacity limits at nonessential retail, restaurants, places of worship and personal care businesses while maintaining social distancing requirements, opens indoor entertainment venues at 50 percent capacity with a maximum of 1,000 people, and allows gyms, recreation centers, pools and sports centers to open at 75 percent capacity with physical distancing.

For updates on the city's operating status and coronavirus cases, visit www.alexandriava.gov/Coronavirus.