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| Capitol, White House tours cancelled due to coronavirus concerns; new cases and closures announced in D.C. region | Capitol, White House tours cancelled due to coronavirus concerns; new cases and closures announced in D.C. region |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| This is a developing story. It will be updated. | This is a developing story. It will be updated. |
| Breaking: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) declared a state of emergency as the number of Virginia coronavirus cases rose to 17. He said Virginia is canceling conferences and out-of-state travel by public employees. He said the state is developing its own coronavirus tests, and urged public schools to make their own decisions on whether to close. Loudoun County Public Schools announced this morning that its schools will be closed through next week. | |
| In a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, officials on Thursday canceled tours of the White House and the Capitol Visitor Center and put restrictions in place in the House and Senate office buildings. | In a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus, officials on Thursday canceled tours of the White House and the Capitol Visitor Center and put restrictions in place in the House and Senate office buildings. |
| Lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly said they will suspend receptions and rallies and cancel public tours of the historic State House. | Lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly said they will suspend receptions and rallies and cancel public tours of the historic State House. |
| Loudoun County, a Northern Virginia suburb where at least one person has tested positive for the virus, said all classes and activities will be canceled through the end of next week. And on Wednesday, Sidwell Friends School said it would shut its Northwest Washington and Bethesda Maryland campuses next week and transition to remote learning through at least April 10. The elite private school is one of the first K-12 schools in the region to take the step of closing in an attempt to contain the coronavirus. | Loudoun County, a Northern Virginia suburb where at least one person has tested positive for the virus, said all classes and activities will be canceled through the end of next week. And on Wednesday, Sidwell Friends School said it would shut its Northwest Washington and Bethesda Maryland campuses next week and transition to remote learning through at least April 10. The elite private school is one of the first K-12 schools in the region to take the step of closing in an attempt to contain the coronavirus. |
| The restrictions illustrate the measures officials are taking as the number of people diagnosed with the virus grows. As of midday Thursday, 39 cases had been reported in the District, Maryland and Virginia. | The restrictions illustrate the measures officials are taking as the number of people diagnosed with the virus grows. As of midday Thursday, 39 cases had been reported in the District, Maryland and Virginia. |
| Live updates: See the latest news on the coronavirus here | Live updates: See the latest news on the coronavirus here |
| Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday said Maryland has its first case of community transmission. The patient is from Prince George’s County, one of three new cases announced late Wednesday night. The man, in his 60s, had no known exposure to the virus through travel or an infected individual, Hogan said. | Gov. Larry Hogan on Thursday said Maryland has its first case of community transmission. The patient is from Prince George’s County, one of three new cases announced late Wednesday night. The man, in his 60s, had no known exposure to the virus through travel or an infected individual, Hogan said. |
| “This first case of COV-19 community transmission in Maryland means we are entering a new phase of working to mitigate and limit the spread of this pandemic,” Hogan said in a statement, adding that he will announce later today “major actions” the state plans to take to help stop the spread of the virus. | “This first case of COV-19 community transmission in Maryland means we are entering a new phase of working to mitigate and limit the spread of this pandemic,” Hogan said in a statement, adding that he will announce later today “major actions” the state plans to take to help stop the spread of the virus. |
| “What we are seeing now is what we have been anticipating and preparing for over the last several weeks,” Hogan said. | “What we are seeing now is what we have been anticipating and preparing for over the last several weeks,” Hogan said. |
| On Capitol Hill, officials said access to the U.S. Capitol, as well as House and Senate office buildings, will be shut off to tourists until April 1. Only staff members, the news media and those conducting official business will be able to enter. | On Capitol Hill, officials said access to the U.S. Capitol, as well as House and Senate office buildings, will be shut off to tourists until April 1. Only staff members, the news media and those conducting official business will be able to enter. |
| “We are taking this temporary action out of concern for the health and safety of congressional employees as well as the public,” House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul D. Irving and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael C. Stenger said in a statement. “We appreciate the understanding of those with planned visits interrupted by this necessary, but prudent, decision.” | “We are taking this temporary action out of concern for the health and safety of congressional employees as well as the public,” House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul D. Irving and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael C. Stenger said in a statement. “We appreciate the understanding of those with planned visits interrupted by this necessary, but prudent, decision.” |
| Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know | Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know |
| Tours of the White House are canceled until further notice, White House spokesman Judd Deere said. | Tours of the White House are canceled until further notice, White House spokesman Judd Deere said. |
| The announcements came one day after D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) declared a state of emergency that allows her to enforce quarantines and cancellations to slow the spread of the virus. A growing list of churches, entertainment venues, museums and conference centers have said they would curtail operations or shut down for days. | The announcements came one day after D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) declared a state of emergency that allows her to enforce quarantines and cancellations to slow the spread of the virus. A growing list of churches, entertainment venues, museums and conference centers have said they would curtail operations or shut down for days. |
| Rail ridership dropped by 100,000 trips Wednesday compared with last week as companies encouraged telework, Metro board members were told Thursday. | Rail ridership dropped by 100,000 trips Wednesday compared with last week as companies encouraged telework, Metro board members were told Thursday. |
| The possibility of fewer passengers has the transit agency preparing to scale back service. Metro officials said Thursday they want to maintain full subway and bus service as long as possible but are preparing for the possibility that they would need to decrease service if too many employees call in sick or work from home. | The possibility of fewer passengers has the transit agency preparing to scale back service. Metro officials said Thursday they want to maintain full subway and bus service as long as possible but are preparing for the possibility that they would need to decrease service if too many employees call in sick or work from home. |
| Loudoun County Public Schools announced Thursday it will cancel classes until March 20 because of coronavirus concerns, the first public school system in the Washington region to announce an extended virus-related closure. | Loudoun County Public Schools announced Thursday it will cancel classes until March 20 because of coronavirus concerns, the first public school system in the Washington region to announce an extended virus-related closure. |
| Superintendent Eric Williams said in a statement that public schools in the Northern Virginia suburb would close through next week “given the rapidly evolving situation with the covid-19 virus.” The county has one confirmed case of the virus, but school officials said there’s no known connection to the school system. | Superintendent Eric Williams said in a statement that public schools in the Northern Virginia suburb would close through next week “given the rapidly evolving situation with the covid-19 virus.” The county has one confirmed case of the virus, but school officials said there’s no known connection to the school system. |
| Sign up for The Washington Post’s coronavirus newsletter | Sign up for The Washington Post’s coronavirus newsletter |
| “While Loudoun County has not experienced the extent of presumptive positive cases of covid-19 as some other areas within our nation or globally and has not had cases that meet the definition of community transmission, we are making this decision out of an abundance of caution,” Williams said. | “While Loudoun County has not experienced the extent of presumptive positive cases of covid-19 as some other areas within our nation or globally and has not had cases that meet the definition of community transmission, we are making this decision out of an abundance of caution,” Williams said. |
| Arlington Public Schools said all non-essential events would be canceled until further notice, but schools would remain open. The county’s transit agency is deep-cleaning and sanitizing its buses daily, while libaries have removed “high-touch” items such as shared toys. | Arlington Public Schools said all non-essential events would be canceled until further notice, but schools would remain open. The county’s transit agency is deep-cleaning and sanitizing its buses daily, while libaries have removed “high-touch” items such as shared toys. |
| Virginia officials told House lawmakers Thursday there were five new cases in the state, but did not give additional details. | Virginia officials told House lawmakers Thursday there were five new cases in the state, but did not give additional details. |
| Although the vast majority of cases in the Washington region have been linked to specific outbreaks — in foreign countries, at a conference, on a Nile River cruise ship or through a D.C. church whose pastor became ill — there are a few cases in which the source of the virus is not yet known. | Although the vast majority of cases in the Washington region have been linked to specific outbreaks — in foreign countries, at a conference, on a Nile River cruise ship or through a D.C. church whose pastor became ill — there are a few cases in which the source of the virus is not yet known. |
| Such cases — when there is no obvious likely origin — are the most concerning to health officials and are a primary reason for considering widespread closures and disruptions, officials say. The goal is to limit the spread of the virus by patients who have not yet been diagnosed and quarantined. | Such cases — when there is no obvious likely origin — are the most concerning to health officials and are a primary reason for considering widespread closures and disruptions, officials say. The goal is to limit the spread of the virus by patients who have not yet been diagnosed and quarantined. |
| With every diagnosed case, state and local health officials begin an intensive process known as “contact tracing,” which involves interviewing patients to see who they may have exposed, then trying to reach those people to ask them to quarantine at home and monitor themselves for symptoms. | With every diagnosed case, state and local health officials begin an intensive process known as “contact tracing,” which involves interviewing patients to see who they may have exposed, then trying to reach those people to ask them to quarantine at home and monitor themselves for symptoms. |
| The D.C. attorney general’s office said residents should be wary of scams, including charities purporting to collect money for coronavirus victims, and report price gouging. District law prevents overcharging for similar goods or services that were sold in the 90 days before the mayor’s emergency declaration. | The D.C. attorney general’s office said residents should be wary of scams, including charities purporting to collect money for coronavirus victims, and report price gouging. District law prevents overcharging for similar goods or services that were sold in the 90 days before the mayor’s emergency declaration. |
| Those who work in the District should also know their right to paid sick leave, the attorney general’s office said, as the city’s Sick and Safe Leave Act requires most employers to offer such benefits. | Those who work in the District should also know their right to paid sick leave, the attorney general’s office said, as the city’s Sick and Safe Leave Act requires most employers to offer such benefits. |
| The Smithsonian Institution said it is canceling public events and tours through May 3, although its museums and the National Zoo will stay open. | The Smithsonian Institution said it is canceling public events and tours through May 3, although its museums and the National Zoo will stay open. |
| Erin Cox, Hannah Natanson, Antonio Olivo, Gregory S. Schneider, Patricia Sullivan and Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report. | Erin Cox, Hannah Natanson, Antonio Olivo, Gregory S. Schneider, Patricia Sullivan and Ovetta Wiggins contributed to this report. |
| Washington National Cathedral, hundreds of churches close for two weeks to stop spread of virus | Washington National Cathedral, hundreds of churches close for two weeks to stop spread of virus |
| Vargas: Coronavirus means uncertainty for the nonprofits that provide society’s safety net | Vargas: Coronavirus means uncertainty for the nonprofits that provide society’s safety net |
| To close schools or not? Confusion and uncertainty reign | To close schools or not? Confusion and uncertainty reign |
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