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D.C., Md., Va. report 19 coronavirus cases, including 3 linked to church Three coronavirus cases linked to D.C. church; American U. cancels classes
(32 minutes later)
Three new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the Washington area Tuesday morning, bringing the number of infections in the District, Maryland and Virginia to 19. Three new coronavirus cases were confirmed in the Washington area Tuesday morning, and American University became the first college campus in the region to cancel in-person classes in an effort to stop the virus from spreading.
Loudoun County officials said a resident in their 40s has tested positive, and is believed to have come into contact with another infected person at Christ Church in Georgetown, where both the rector and the organist have been diagnosed with the virus. There are now 19 reported cases of coronavirus in the District, Maryland and Virginia.
County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks said a couple from Prince George’s who had been on a cruise overseas had tested positive for the coronavirus, and were quarantined at home. Loudoun County officials said a man in his 40s who tested positive attends Christ Church in Georgetown, where both the rector and the organist also have been diagnosed with the virus. The man is in good condition, officials said.
Alsobrooks had announced the county’s first confirmed case of the virus late Monday, a woman in her 50s. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Tuesday the woman appears to have contracted the virus while on a trip to Massachusetts in late February. Also Tuesday, Prince George’s County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks said a couple from the county who had been on a cruise overseas had tested positive for the coronavirus and were quarantined at home.
“She has had no contact with schoolchildren and is self-quarantined at home and in good condition,” Alsobrooks said. Alsobrooks (D) had announced the county’s first confirmed case of the virus late Monday, a woman in her 50s. She said the woman appears to have contracted the virus while on a trip to Boston from Feb. 22 to Feb. 27 in late February.
Hogan said he has spoken to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker about the case and will convene his cabinet today to discuss Maryland’s response to the virus. Prince George’s officials declined to say if the woman attended a conference in Boston that has been linked to other coronavirus cases. They also would not say where and when the couple was on the cruise.
See the latest live updates about the coronavirus hereSee the latest live updates about the coronavirus here
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said he has spoken to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker about the case and will convene his cabinet today to discuss Maryland’s response to the virus.
All three Prince George’s patients are self-quarantined at home and in good condition, Alsobrooks said. Contact tracing is ongoing. The woman who appears to have contracted the virus in Boston did not have contact with school children or go to church, Alsobrooks said.
Alsobrooks spoke at the county emergency operations center flanked by dozens of county workers, some in uniform, and in front of a giant digital map of the nation with a ticker of global coronavirus cases: 116,152.
“This is a virus and we expect it to spread,” she said. “We believe the public has a role in helping us to prevent it from spreading. Viruses spread, the flu spreads. But we have the power in our community to keep it from spreading.”
Officials urged people who feel sick to stay home from work and school, and repeated instructions for good hygiene, including thorough handwashing.
Barry L. Stanton, of Prince George’s County Public Schools, said health-related absences will be excused without a doctor’s note. The district is concerned about getting information out to under-represented groups and is working on that, he said.
Coronavirus in the DMV: Frequently asked questions
The Loudoun patient has had limited exposure to others in the county, health director David Goodfriend said in a statement.The Loudoun patient has had limited exposure to others in the county, health director David Goodfriend said in a statement.
“We know the risk of coronavirus disease — or COVID-19 — increases among close contacts of infected persons,” the statement said. “In this case, based on the results of our contact investigation to date, the risk to the general Loudoun community remains low.”“We know the risk of coronavirus disease — or COVID-19 — increases among close contacts of infected persons,” the statement said. “In this case, based on the results of our contact investigation to date, the risk to the general Loudoun community remains low.”
Phyllis J. Randall (D), chairwoman of the county’s Board of Supervisors, urged residents to remain calm.Phyllis J. Randall (D), chairwoman of the county’s Board of Supervisors, urged residents to remain calm.
“We anticipated that a case of COVID-19 would be diagnosed in our community at some point,” she said in the county’s statement. “It is important that we all follow the prevention guidance issued by the CDC to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.”“We anticipated that a case of COVID-19 would be diagnosed in our community at some point,” she said in the county’s statement. “It is important that we all follow the prevention guidance issued by the CDC to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.”
Those guidelines include staying home if ill, washing hands frequently and avoiding people who have respiratory symptoms. People who develop fever, cough or shortness of breath should consult health care providers about whether they should be tested.Those guidelines include staying home if ill, washing hands frequently and avoiding people who have respiratory symptoms. People who develop fever, cough or shortness of breath should consult health care providers about whether they should be tested.
Coronavirus in the DMV: Frequently asked questions D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) on Monday asked anyone who had been at Christ Church on Feb. 24 or between Feb.28 and March 3 to quarantine themselves at home for the remainder of the 14-day incubation period.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser on Monday asked anyone who had been at Christ Church on specific dates in late February and early March to quarantine themselves at home for the remainder of the 14-day incubation period. Those were days when the Rev. Timothy Cole, who was diagnosed with the virus on Saturday, was at the church and may have been infectious. Those were days when the Rev. Timothy Cole, who was diagnosed with the virus on Saturday, was at the church and may have been infectious.
A church spokesman said organist Tom Smith, 39, tested positive for the virus on Monday. Smith was in quarantine at home with his husband, the spokesman said. A church spokesman, Rob Volmer, said Cole attended a March 3 “Legos for Lent” event where small children and adults had a buffet-style dinner together.
Cole was diagnosed Saturday, and is hospitalized in stable condition. The church organist Tom Smith, 39, tested positive for the virus on Monday and is in quarantine at home with his husband “in good spirits,” with mild symptoms, Volmer said.
Smith was at Sunday services on March 1 and a choral event that evening, Volmer said, but did not attend other large events that week.
The diagnosis of the Loudoun man who attended the church was reported Tuesday.
Church members embrace quarantine as a necessary disruption
Church officials have heard from families making up roughly 200 people who are self-quarantining, Volmer said. In addition to Smith, Volmer said, other church staff members and their immediate families have been tested, with results negative or pending.
The District’s Georgetown Day School said it would close Tuesday for a deep cleaning because it has “community members who are closely affiliated” with Christ Church, a historic Episcopal congregation in the District’s Georgetown neighborhood.The District’s Georgetown Day School said it would close Tuesday for a deep cleaning because it has “community members who are closely affiliated” with Christ Church, a historic Episcopal congregation in the District’s Georgetown neighborhood.
Georgetown Day said it “does not expect this to be a long-term closure.”Georgetown Day said it “does not expect this to be a long-term closure.”
Church members embrace quarantine as a necessary disruption
Three other D.C. schools were closed for deep cleaning Monday because their staff members either had contact with someone affiliated with Christ Church or with another coronavirus patient, a man who developed symptoms while staying in the District after traveling from Nigeria. That man was receiving treatment in Maryland.Three other D.C. schools were closed for deep cleaning Monday because their staff members either had contact with someone affiliated with Christ Church or with another coronavirus patient, a man who developed symptoms while staying in the District after traveling from Nigeria. That man was receiving treatment in Maryland.
All three schools — School Without Walls, D.C. International School and Mundo Verde — reopened Tuesday.All three schools — School Without Walls, D.C. International School and Mundo Verde — reopened Tuesday.
Cole, the Christ Church pastor, has been quarantined at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in stable condition since Saturday. He first became sick after returning from a Feb. 22 conference of Episcopal leaders in Louisville. Cole, the Christ Church pastor, first became sick after returning from a Feb. 22 conference of Episcopal leaders in Louisville.
SEC asks D.C.-based employees to work from home because of virus scareSEC asks D.C.-based employees to work from home because of virus scare
A D.C. health official said there is “medium risk” for people who came within six feet of Cole on Feb. 24 and between Feb. 28 and March 3. Officials said people who were at the church on those dates should self-quarantine until 14 days after their most recent contact. Bowser announced two other cases Monday night: a 77-year-old man who had attended the Biogen conference in Boston, which has been connected to several other cases; and a 79-year-old man about whom no other information was released.
“That is when our case was symptomatic,” said Anjali Talwalkar, senior deputy director for the city’s community health administration. “So anybody who was potentially exposed during that time, out of caution and best practices for disease control, that’s the recommendation.”
Bowser (D) announced two other cases Monday night: a 77-year-old man who had attended the Biogen conference in Boston, which has been connected to several other cases; and a 79-year-old man about whom no other information was released.
In Virginia, officials said a Spotsylvania County resident in their 50s had tested positive, as had the spouse of a Fairfax City resident who was diagnosed with the virus over the weekend. The Fairfax City couple had been on a cruise boat in Egypt that is believed to have been the source of other infections.In Virginia, officials said a Spotsylvania County resident in their 50s had tested positive, as had the spouse of a Fairfax City resident who was diagnosed with the virus over the weekend. The Fairfax City couple had been on a cruise boat in Egypt that is believed to have been the source of other infections.
Earlier Monday, officials announced that an Arlington County resident in their 60s had developed fever, a cough and shortness of breath after an international trip, and was confirmed to have the virus.Earlier Monday, officials announced that an Arlington County resident in their 60s had developed fever, a cough and shortness of breath after an international trip, and was confirmed to have the virus.
The person had limited contact with other people while ill, the state health department said, and is receiving medical care and recuperating.The person had limited contact with other people while ill, the state health department said, and is receiving medical care and recuperating.
In Prince George’s County, there is also concern about a man who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill from Feb. 27 to March 1, and tested positive for the virus when he returned home to New Jersey.
The thousands of people who attended or worked at CPAC, at the Gaylord resort at National Harbor, may be at risk of exposure, according to the Maryland Department of Health.
New Jersey, in conjunction with Maryland, is conducting the investigation, and will let relevant jurisdictions know if any of their residents are at higher risk, officials said.
Dr. Ernest Carter, the health officer for Prince George’s, said he met Monday with employees at National Harbor and instructed them to take their temperature twice a day. Should symptoms develop, he instructed them to contact their doctor and the county.
Police Chief Hank Stawinski said the county has contacted all 353 county police officers who worked at CPAC, and none are experiencing symptoms associated with coronavirus. The same goes for fire and EMS personnel who were there, he said.
Erin Cox, Dana Hedgpeth, Rebecca Tan and Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report.Erin Cox, Dana Hedgpeth, Rebecca Tan and Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report.