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| Triage tents, testing sites open in region as coronavirus spreads; officials say thousands more beds needed. | Triage tents, testing sites open in region as coronavirus spreads; officials say thousands more beds needed. |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| George Washington University Hospital opened a tent to treat coronavirus patients at its Foggy Bottom campus on Wednesday, as authorities reported dozens more cases and medical facilities struggled to keep pace. | George Washington University Hospital opened a tent to treat coronavirus patients at its Foggy Bottom campus on Wednesday, as authorities reported dozens more cases and medical facilities struggled to keep pace. |
| Several health providers in the Virginia and Maryland region had already set up triage and treatment tents or drive-through testing sites for people who appear to have symptoms of the novel coronavirus. | Several health providers in the Virginia and Maryland region had already set up triage and treatment tents or drive-through testing sites for people who appear to have symptoms of the novel coronavirus. |
| Maryland officials say they hope to add thousands of hospital beds — including by opening shuttered hospitals or placing beds in nontraditional settings — and are working with supply chain partners to ensure there is enough protective gear, including masks, gowns and gloves. | Maryland officials say they hope to add thousands of hospital beds — including by opening shuttered hospitals or placing beds in nontraditional settings — and are working with supply chain partners to ensure there is enough protective gear, including masks, gowns and gloves. |
| The number of known patients in the District, Maryland and Virginia on Wednesday climbed to 203. | The number of known patients in the District, Maryland and Virginia on Wednesday climbed to 203. |
| “Everybody is working 24/7 to get ready for what could be coming,” said Bob Atlas, president of the Maryland Hospital Association. | |
| In its first six hours of collecting coronavirus swabs at a temporary drive-through testing site, Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington tested 60 people. | In its first six hours of collecting coronavirus swabs at a temporary drive-through testing site, Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington tested 60 people. |
| But another Virginia provider, Sentara Healthcare system, said it was closing three drive-through sites in Hampton Roads because supplies were running low after it screened 1,760 people and tested 786 in just three days. Officials there said they were working with federal and state officials to get more tests. | But another Virginia provider, Sentara Healthcare system, said it was closing three drive-through sites in Hampton Roads because supplies were running low after it screened 1,760 people and tested 786 in just three days. Officials there said they were working with federal and state officials to get more tests. |
| Here is a Washington Post analysis of coronavirus patients in the DMV | Here is a Washington Post analysis of coronavirus patients in the DMV |
| Maryland added 23 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, bringing the state’s total to 86. Virginia reported 10 cases, for a total of 77, including the Washington region’s only two deaths so far. The District said there were eight new patients, bringing its total to 40. Most of the new Maryland and Virginia cases are in the populous Washington suburbs. | |
| A U.S. marshal who works in D.C. Superior Court has tested positive for the coronavirus, a spokesman for the Marshall Service said. The marshal worked in room C-10, where new arrestees — as many as 20 to 100 a day — are brought through for detainment hearings, with dozens of family members and attorneys in the audience. | A U.S. marshal who works in D.C. Superior Court has tested positive for the coronavirus, a spokesman for the Marshall Service said. The marshal worked in room C-10, where new arrestees — as many as 20 to 100 a day — are brought through for detainment hearings, with dozens of family members and attorneys in the audience. |
| Robert Brandt, a spokesman for the Marshal Service, said the marshal was tested after having flu-like symptoms last week and has not been in he courtroom since Friday. | |
| Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said there are three “outbreaks” in his state, meaning clusters of patients where two or more can be traced to common exposure. One of those outbreaks is on the peninsula, in James City County, where there have been 17 confirmed cases. That is the general area where both fatalities occurred. | |
| Virginia labs have capacity to process 260 to 360 tests, said Norman Oliver, the state health commissioner. Officials anticipate receiving new reagents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the next day, which would increase capacity. | Virginia labs have capacity to process 260 to 360 tests, said Norman Oliver, the state health commissioner. Officials anticipate receiving new reagents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the next day, which would increase capacity. |
| Northam floated the idea of possibly activating the National Guard, which he said might be able to help deliver food, providing staffing at hospitals or erecting tents at hospitals to increase capacity. | |
| Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has already deployed the Maryland National Guard to help enforce shutdowns and provide other assistance, and D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) has launched the process for activating the D.C. National Guard if needed. | Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has already deployed the Maryland National Guard to help enforce shutdowns and provide other assistance, and D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) has launched the process for activating the D.C. National Guard if needed. |
| At GWU, officials said the new tent would limit exposure to the virus by separating coronavirus cases from the larger population. Patients can be triaged and tested there, and those who are well enough to be sent home will be. Bruno Petinaux, the hospital’s chief medical officer, said 80 percent of patients infected with the virus have been able to recuperate at home. Critical cases will be admitted into the hospital. | |
| “It’s all about how we use our staff in a smart and effective way,” Petinaux said. | “It’s all about how we use our staff in a smart and effective way,” Petinaux said. |
| Live updates: The latest coronavirus news in the District, Maryland and Virginia | Live updates: The latest coronavirus news in the District, Maryland and Virginia |
| In Arlington, the Virginia Hospital Center set up the drive-through testing site in partnership with several county agencies. The tests, open only to Arlington County residents or employees with pre-submitted doctor’s orders, will take five to seven business days to be processed. | In Arlington, the Virginia Hospital Center set up the drive-through testing site in partnership with several county agencies. The tests, open only to Arlington County residents or employees with pre-submitted doctor’s orders, will take five to seven business days to be processed. |
| Chief nursing officer Melody Dickerson said the testing is going smoothly and the hospital has enough test kits for the immediate future. | Chief nursing officer Melody Dickerson said the testing is going smoothly and the hospital has enough test kits for the immediate future. |
| Throughout Virginia, there are currently about 18,500 licensed hospital beds, including about 2,000 intensive care unit beds, which have the most direct access to ventilators or respiratory support equipment needed for the most critical covid-19 patients, said Julian Walker, a spokesman with the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. | Throughout Virginia, there are currently about 18,500 licensed hospital beds, including about 2,000 intensive care unit beds, which have the most direct access to ventilators or respiratory support equipment needed for the most critical covid-19 patients, said Julian Walker, a spokesman with the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association. |
| Six regional health-care coalitions in Virginia that help coordinate emergency responses collectively have another 400 ventilators that could be deployed to hospitals if needed. | |
| D.C. officials said there are 3,273 licensed acute-care hospital beds in the city. In a statement, health officials said they are committed to supporting the health-care system throughout the pandemic, “including implementing strategies to manage current and future needs.” | |
| In Maryland, officials are hoping to add about 6,000 hospital beds across the state’s four dozen hospitals, said Dennis R. Schrader, the chief operating officer and Medicaid director of the Maryland Department of Health. | In Maryland, officials are hoping to add about 6,000 hospital beds across the state’s four dozen hospitals, said Dennis R. Schrader, the chief operating officer and Medicaid director of the Maryland Department of Health. |
| The state currently has about 7,400 operational beds. | The state currently has about 7,400 operational beds. |
| He said officials have determined that there are 900 beds that can be made available immediately and that they are hopeful that hospitals can add approximately 1,000 beds statewide in existing facilities in the next 45 days. He said some existing areas will have to reopen, some minor construction will have to be done and some nontraditional spaces will have to be opened to accommodate the additional 4,100 beds. | |
| “We are planning for the worst and hoping for the best,” Schrader said. | “We are planning for the worst and hoping for the best,” Schrader said. |
| Get behind the paywall with The Washington Post’s coronavirus newsletter | Get behind the paywall with The Washington Post’s coronavirus newsletter |
| About 75 percent of Maryland’s hospital beds are occupied, said Timothy Chizmar, the state EMS medical director at the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems, which conducts a daily survey. He said the figure is at or slightly below average. | |
| Major hospital systems in the state, including Johns Hopkins Health and the University of Maryland Medical System, have suspended elective surgeries to increase their capacities to treat coronavirus patients. | |
| “It’s a logistical nightmare for my physicians,” said Gene Ransom, chief executive of the Maryland State Medical Society. “But the key thing is that it frees up space.” | “It’s a logistical nightmare for my physicians,” said Gene Ransom, chief executive of the Maryland State Medical Society. “But the key thing is that it frees up space.” |
| Ransom said hospitals statewide are seeing historic lows in terms of patients, as officials have warned people to stay away. But they are preparing for a dramatic increase in patient volume as the number of cases continues to increase. | |
| “We just don’t know how big the bump will be,” he said. | “We just don’t know how big the bump will be,” he said. |
| The ripple effect of the coronavirus crisis in the District continued to play out in other areas, as well, including public transportation. | The ripple effect of the coronavirus crisis in the District continued to play out in other areas, as well, including public transportation. |
| Officials said the DC Circulator is suspending fares on all routes, so passengers can board at all entrances, at safe distances from one another. Metro, which is operating on a reduced schedule with trains every 15 minutes on all lines, asked residents to stay home so the available trains can be used by hospital staff, first responders and others who need to travel during the coronavirus crisis. | |
| Ridership on the rail system was down to 140,000 trips on Tuesday, a nearly 80 percent drop from the 663,00 trips the system carried on the same Tuesday last year, the transit agency said. | |
| D.C. police announced “operational adjustments” so they could respond to residents while also minimizing officers’ possible exposure to the coronavirus and the general public. | |
| The police force urges people calling 911 to tell the operator whether they are experiencing covid-19 symptoms such as fever, cough and shortness of breath. That way, dispatchers can advise responding officers to “take appropriate safety precautions.” | |
| In addition, officers will ask to speak to people who call “outdoors when possible” and to maintain a distance as they interact. Police also urged residents to file for routine police reports or nonemergencies online. | |
| Meeting and other public events with D.C. police are temporarily suspended, but authorities are available by telephone and through email. Regularly scheduled community crime meetings will be held via conference call. | |
| Johns Hopkins University said its May graduation ceremonies will be held online. In-person celebrations will happen at a later date. Georgetown University said it was postponing commencement ceremonies. | |
| With thousands of parents working from home while looking after restless children, borrowing soared at the D.C. Public Library before it closed to visitors as of Monday. | |
| Richard Reyes-Gavilan, the library’s executive director, tweeted that more people checked out more books from Friday to Sunday than in all of February. | |
| “This is the only acceptable form of hoarding,” the tweet said. | “This is the only acceptable form of hoarding,” the tweet said. |
| Montgomery County Council member Will Jawando tried to offer some relief by hosting a daily virtual story time from his office in Rockville on Wednesday. | |
| Seated on his couch, he opened his first book, “Waiting Is Not Easy,” by Mo Willems. | Seated on his couch, he opened his first book, “Waiting Is Not Easy,” by Mo Willems. |
| “Now, how many of you know I picked this book because it’s hard right now to stay in the house, not be at school, not see your friends and wait for this to be over?” he said. “But it’s the right thing to do.” | “Now, how many of you know I picked this book because it’s hard right now to stay in the house, not be at school, not see your friends and wait for this to be over?” he said. “But it’s the right thing to do.” |
| Keith L. Alexander, Peter Hermann, Fenit Nirappil, Rebecca Tan, Patricia Sullivan, Laura Vozzella, Luz Lazo and Susan Svrluga contributed to this report. | |
| Can you safely visit the cherry blossoms amid the coronavirus crisis? | Can you safely visit the cherry blossoms amid the coronavirus crisis? |
| It’s ‘quarantine time.’ People say cheers to video happy hours when they’re stuck at home | |
| Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know | Coronavirus in the DMV: What you need to know |
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