This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-virus-christ-church-quarantine/2020/03/09/17567796-61fa-11ea-845d-e35b0234b136_story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_homepage
The article has changed 27 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Hundreds exposed to church rector with coronavirus urged to quarantine; new case reported in Arlington | Hundreds exposed to church rector with coronavirus urged to quarantine; new case reported in Arlington |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A third case of coronavirus in Northern Virginia was announced Monday, shortly after D.C. officials urged hundreds of Christ Church Georgetown attendees to self-quarantine because of their exposure to the Rev. Timothy Cole, the church rector who is the city’s first known coronavirus patient. | |
| The Virginia Department of Health said their latest confirmed case is a 60-something resident of Arlington County who developed fever, cough and shortness of breath after an international trip. | |
| The person “is receiving medical care and is currently recuperating,” the health department said in a statement. | The person “is receiving medical care and is currently recuperating,” the health department said in a statement. |
| See the latest live updates about the coronavirus here | See the latest live updates about the coronavirus here |
| Cole, who first fell ill after returning from a Feb. 22 conference of Episcopal leaders in Louisville, tested positive for coronavirus Saturday and is at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in stable condition. | |
| A senior D.C. Health Department official said there is “medium risk” for anyone who came within six feet of Cole on Feb. 24 and between Feb. 28 and March 3. Officials are recommending that people who had such contact self-quarantine until 14 days after the most recent contact occurred. | |
| “That is when our case was symptomatic,” said Anjali Talwalkar, senior deputy director for the health agency’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.” | |
| Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) announced the self-quarantine recommendation at a news conference Monday morning, as authorities try to contain the spread of the virus. It is the first broad self-quarantine order in the Washington region. | |
| Bowser also said she is evaluating whether she needs the power to impose quarantines by declaring a public health emergency. She said a decision was likely later in the day. | |
| Cole oversaw services attended by 550 people March 1, shook parishioners’ hands and provided Communion at the 11:15 services. Church officials said he appeared healthy that day and had been regularly washing his hands. But he had been ill in late February. | Cole oversaw services attended by 550 people March 1, shook parishioners’ hands and provided Communion at the 11:15 services. Church officials said he appeared healthy that day and had been regularly washing his hands. But he had been ill in late February. |
| There was no immediate estimate of how many people came into close contact with him on the other targeted days. | There was no immediate estimate of how many people came into close contact with him on the other targeted days. |
| Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know | |
| In Maryland, where five individuals have tested positive for Covid-19, state officials have not publicly announced that any large groups of individuals should self-quarantine. | In Maryland, where five individuals have tested positive for Covid-19, state officials have not publicly announced that any large groups of individuals should self-quarantine. |
| Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said Friday that one of the infected people paid a condolence call at a retirement home in Montgomery County on Feb. 28, potentially exposing 70 to 100 other people to the virus. | Gov. Larry Hogan (R) said Friday that one of the infected people paid a condolence call at a retirement home in Montgomery County on Feb. 28, potentially exposing 70 to 100 other people to the virus. |
| As of Monday morning, no residents of The Village at Rockville were showing symptoms of covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, said Montgomery’s head of emergency management Earl Stoddard. Employees have been asked to continue monitoring residents and themselves for symptoms, Stoddard said, and contact-tracing for attendees at the event is continuing. | As of Monday morning, no residents of The Village at Rockville were showing symptoms of covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, said Montgomery’s head of emergency management Earl Stoddard. Employees have been asked to continue monitoring residents and themselves for symptoms, Stoddard said, and contact-tracing for attendees at the event is continuing. |
| In D.C., the historic Episcopal church closed Sunday while the health officials launched an investigation into possible exposures. The agency notified the church at 10:47 p.m. Sunday that parishioners should self-quarantine, and the church sent an email to members an hour later. | In D.C., the historic Episcopal church closed Sunday while the health officials launched an investigation into possible exposures. The agency notified the church at 10:47 p.m. Sunday that parishioners should self-quarantine, and the church sent an email to members an hour later. |
| Cole and his family are already under quarantine. A spokeswoman for the Georgetown hospital said he is isolated and that staff are using personal protective equipment. | Cole and his family are already under quarantine. A spokeswoman for the Georgetown hospital said he is isolated and that staff are using personal protective equipment. |
| Cole had no recent international travel and first fell ill after returning from a Feb. 22 conference of Episcopal leaders in Louisville. Conference organizers say they are in touch with the CDC and public health authorities in the District and Kentucky. | Cole had no recent international travel and first fell ill after returning from a Feb. 22 conference of Episcopal leaders in Louisville. Conference organizers say they are in touch with the CDC and public health authorities in the District and Kentucky. |
| The District’s second coronavirus case involved a man who was treated in Maryland, but developed symptoms in the city after traveling there from Nigeria. | The District’s second coronavirus case involved a man who was treated in Maryland, but developed symptoms in the city after traveling there from Nigeria. |
| School Without Walls, a selective public high school in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, closed Monday after city officials determined that a staff member had close contact with that patient. | School Without Walls, a selective public high school in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood, closed Monday after city officials determined that a staff member had close contact with that patient. |
| But officials said Monday that all three people who had close contact with the patient had tested negative for the virus. | But officials said Monday that all three people who had close contact with the patient had tested negative for the virus. |
| Bowser said the school was being deep-cleaned and would reopen Tuesday. “Even though our employee does not display any symptoms, I made a decision to [close the school] out of an abundance of caution,” Bowser said. | Bowser said the school was being deep-cleaned and would reopen Tuesday. “Even though our employee does not display any symptoms, I made a decision to [close the school] out of an abundance of caution,” Bowser said. |
| D.C. International School, a charter school in Northwest Washington, also closed Monday for cleaning after officials said a staff member was in contact with a person who went to Christ Church Georgetown. Mundo Verde, an elementary and early childhood care charter school, also closed its Northwest Washington campus Monday for cleaning. | |
| Bowser said she is exploring whether a public emergency declaration is warranted. That declaration would give her the authority to impose quarantines. In the meantime, she said, people should take the self-quarantine message seriously. | Bowser said she is exploring whether a public emergency declaration is warranted. That declaration would give her the authority to impose quarantines. In the meantime, she said, people should take the self-quarantine message seriously. |
| “We don’t see it as a ‘nice to,’ it’s a ‘must to,’ ” Bowser said. “If you’ve been exposed, you need to self quarantine, and we recognize that there will be hardships for many people not just in D.C., but in Maryland and Virginia. We know there were congregants not just from Washington, D.C., who attend Christ Church.” | “We don’t see it as a ‘nice to,’ it’s a ‘must to,’ ” Bowser said. “If you’ve been exposed, you need to self quarantine, and we recognize that there will be hardships for many people not just in D.C., but in Maryland and Virginia. We know there were congregants not just from Washington, D.C., who attend Christ Church.” |
| So you’ve been asked to self-quarantine. Here’s what you should know | |
| Stoddard, the emergency management head in Montgomery County, said Coles’s case “is of particular concern,” because it is not linked to overseas travel. | Stoddard, the emergency management head in Montgomery County, said Coles’s case “is of particular concern,” because it is not linked to overseas travel. |
| “It creates questions on community transmission, and as the investigation proceeds, these are the kinds of things that represent potential escalation points to us,” he said. | “It creates questions on community transmission, and as the investigation proceeds, these are the kinds of things that represent potential escalation points to us,” he said. |
| In Alexandria, Mayor Justin Wilson (D) said Monday the city has split its 911 call center between two sites. “In case people in one location are somehow infected, we can keep going,” Wilson said. | |
| He said some residents had suggested canceling the St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday. The city went ahead with the event, and crowd sizes seemed normal, he said. | |
| Authorities think all of the Virginia and Maryland patients contracted the virus while overseas. Hogan has scheduled a 3:30 p.m. news conference to provide more information about the latest Maryland cases, both of which involve senior citizens who have had limited interactions with the public since returning from abroad. | |
| Meanwhile, officials across the region are coordinating the bulk purchasing of medical supplies such as hand sanitizer, masks, and gloves, Stoddard said. Montgomery has about 15,000 N95 masks and is looking to purchase 10,000 more, largely to equip first responders and public health officials. In addition, the county has expanded its cleaning services at government buildings and requested a “total wipedown” of all surfaces at night, Stoddard said. | |
| A person who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Md., also has been diagnosed with the virus, and at least two members of Congress announced Sunday that they would self-quarantine because they had contact with him. | |
| On Monday, Del. Matt Morgan (R-St. Mary’s) said in a statement that 12 members of the House Republican Caucus went to the conference to hear an address by President Trump. The infected person did not attend that part of the conference, the statement said. | On Monday, Del. Matt Morgan (R-St. Mary’s) said in a statement that 12 members of the House Republican Caucus went to the conference to hear an address by President Trump. The infected person did not attend that part of the conference, the statement said. |
| “At this time, it is improbable that any member of the Maryland House Republican Caucus came within direct contact of the infected individual,” Morgan said. “However, our Caucus members will defer to guidance provided by the Maryland Department of Health.” | “At this time, it is improbable that any member of the Maryland House Republican Caucus came within direct contact of the infected individual,” Morgan said. “However, our Caucus members will defer to guidance provided by the Maryland Department of Health.” |
| The union that represents about 1,000 workers at Gaylord said leaders have been working with Gaylord management to ensure precautions are taken to prevent the spread of the virus. | |
| Employees of the hotel, which is the largest on the East Coast, are receiving “reinforcement training on how to deal with the virus and what they need to do to remain healthy and safe,” said John Boardman, executive secretary and treasurer of the Unite Here’s D.C. affiliate representing. | |
| “We are advising our members that if they do not feel well that they should stay home and contact their health care provider,” Boardman said. “We have been working with the employers to make sure that if somebody stays home that there is no consequence to missing work for a legitimate absence.” | |
| More broadly, labor leaders in the Washington region say they have growing concerns about the economic impact the coronavirus outbreak could have in the hospitality industry and the hundreds of thousands of hourly workers that depend on it. With hotel bookings down, many workers are already being laid off, some union leaders said. | |
| “The truth is right now this appears to be having a significant impact on the hospitality and travel sector and we want to make sure that the government is prepared to support these workers in the event that they get laid off,” Boardman said. | |
| “There are already impacts on travel and on bookings,” he said. “If travelers are not coming to stay in a hotel, then people are on layoffs.” Unite Here Local 25 represents about 7,000 workers in hotels and casinos in the Washington region. | |
| Since the coronavirus outbreak began in the Wuhan province of China, the virus has infected more than 109,000 people globally and has killed more than 3,700. | |
| Confirmed cases in the United States topped 500 Sunday, with fatalities rising to 21 after the deaths of two more residents of an infection-stricken nursing home in Washington state. | Confirmed cases in the United States topped 500 Sunday, with fatalities rising to 21 after the deaths of two more residents of an infection-stricken nursing home in Washington state. |
| To curb the spread of the virus, authorities are urging people to regularly wash their hands, avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home when ill. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, patients are thought to be the most contagious when they are the most symptomatic, but some spread may be possible before people are visibly sick. | To curb the spread of the virus, authorities are urging people to regularly wash their hands, avoid close contact with people who are sick and stay home when ill. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, patients are thought to be the most contagious when they are the most symptomatic, but some spread may be possible before people are visibly sick. |
| This is a developing story. It is being updated as new information becomes available. | |
| Luz Lazo, Darran Simon, Perry Stein, Patricia Sullivan and Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report. | |
| Coronavirus case at CPAC threatens to upend Trump’s routine | Coronavirus case at CPAC threatens to upend Trump’s routine |
| State department warns Americans about cruise ship travel | State department warns Americans about cruise ship travel |
| Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. | Sign up for our Coronavirus Updates newsletter to track the outbreak. All stories linked in the newsletter are free to access. |
| Local newsletters: Local headlines (8 a.m.) | Afternoon Buzz (4 p.m.) | Local newsletters: Local headlines (8 a.m.) | Afternoon Buzz (4 p.m.) |
| Like PostLocal on Facebook | Follow @postlocal on Twitter | Latest local news | Like PostLocal on Facebook | Follow @postlocal on Twitter | Latest local news |