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| Maryland adds new restrictions as coronavirus reaches grim milestones | Maryland adds new restrictions as coronavirus reaches grim milestones |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Maryland is escalating social-distancing measures following the state’s first covid-19-related death and the first report of a child testing positive. Scores of D.C. emergency personnel are under quarantine, with three firefighters confirmed to be infected. Virginia is easing access to health care during the pandemic and giving residents until June to pay taxes. | |
| Two weeks after the first novel coronavirus cases were reported in the Washington region, government leaders, residents and businesses are confronting a hard reality: There’s no immediate end in sight. | Two weeks after the first novel coronavirus cases were reported in the Washington region, government leaders, residents and businesses are confronting a hard reality: There’s no immediate end in sight. |
| Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Thursday ordered the closure of enclosed shopping malls and entertainment venues, restricted access to Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport and prohibited gatherings of more than 10 people. He chastised residents who are not taking the situation seriously. | Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) on Thursday ordered the closure of enclosed shopping malls and entertainment venues, restricted access to Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport and prohibited gatherings of more than 10 people. He chastised residents who are not taking the situation seriously. |
| “Unfortunately, we are only at the beginning of this crisis,” Hogan said, citing the state’s first fatality, a Prince George’s County man. “While this is the first death in Maryland, unfortunately it will not be the last.” | “Unfortunately, we are only at the beginning of this crisis,” Hogan said, citing the state’s first fatality, a Prince George’s County man. “While this is the first death in Maryland, unfortunately it will not be the last.” |
| Disruptions to daily life are likely to stretch at least into April, experts say, with the continued spread of the virus inevitable. | |
| Known cases have been doubling roughly every three days, reaching at least 242 in Maryland, the District and Virginia as of Thursday evening. That’s almost certainly an undercount because of limited and delayed testing. | Known cases have been doubling roughly every three days, reaching at least 242 in Maryland, the District and Virginia as of Thursday evening. That’s almost certainly an undercount because of limited and delayed testing. |
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| In recent days, patients have included first responders, medical staff and residents of senior living in facilities. | In recent days, patients have included first responders, medical staff and residents of senior living in facilities. |
| The region has hit grim milestones: the first death in the D.C. suburbs; reports of infected children. | |
| The Post is tracking coronavirus cases in D.C., MD and VA | The Post is tracking coronavirus cases in D.C., MD and VA |
| It will take weeks to learn whether the closures of schools, restaurants and entertainment venues have kept the highly contagious virus at bay. The 14-day incubation period means confirmed patients have probably infected others who have not yet developed symptoms. | |
| “Whatever numbers we are seeing today reflect the transmission that was occurring one to two weeks ago,” said Lucy Wilson, an infectious disease specialist and faculty member at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. “We shouldn’t be surprised by numbers continuing to increase, and we also shouldn’t discredit the effect of social distancing until we’ve given it time to take effect.” | |
| D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said Thursday that “it’s certainly possible” that the public health emergency and the closure of restaurants, schools and events in the nation’s capital would stretch into April. | |
| “What I am being advised from our public health professionals is that we want to see the slow of spread before we know for sure if those social-distancing measures are working,” Bowser said. | “What I am being advised from our public health professionals is that we want to see the slow of spread before we know for sure if those social-distancing measures are working,” Bowser said. |
| Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) also did not rule out the possibility of extending his order for schools and other public buildings to remain closed. | Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) also did not rule out the possibility of extending his order for schools and other public buildings to remain closed. |
| “This is such a fluid situation,” he said. “We meet every day, hour by hour. | “This is such a fluid situation,” he said. “We meet every day, hour by hour. |
| Meanwhile, hospitals and medical providers are trying to prepare for more patients despite limited resources. | Meanwhile, hospitals and medical providers are trying to prepare for more patients despite limited resources. |
| Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, one of the few medical facilities in the region that provides drive-through coronavirus tests, said it is capping the number of patients who are tested to 60 each day because of a limited supply of personal protective equipment. | |
| That comes a day after Sentara Healthcare system closed three drive-through testing sites in Hampton Roads because of dwindling supplies. | That comes a day after Sentara Healthcare system closed three drive-through testing sites in Hampton Roads because of dwindling supplies. |
| Follow live updates on coronavirus in the Washington region | Follow live updates on coronavirus in the Washington region |
| New restrictions and procedures aimed at preventing people from infecting one another and overloading the health-care system are piling up. | |
| Grocery stores in Montgomery County launched seniors-only hours in an attempt to reduce the exposure of older shoppers to infection. | Grocery stores in Montgomery County launched seniors-only hours in an attempt to reduce the exposure of older shoppers to infection. |
| Takoma Park, Md., is fencing off city-owned playgrounds. | |
| The Metro transit system announced it would close two stations to stave off large groups from viewing the cherry blossoms approaching peak bloom in the Tidal Basin. | |
| There had been 108 reported cases in Maryland as of Thursday morning — an 88 percent increase in the past 48 hours. Among the newly announced cases was a 5-year-old child from Howard County. | |
| Michael Martirano, the superintendent of the Howard County Public School System, identified the child as a student at Elkridge Elementary School. County playgrounds and parks have shut down in response to the case. | |
| Officials said the Prince George’s man whose death from coronavirus was announced Wednesday evening had been Maryland’s first known case of community transmission, meaning he contracted the virus without travel overseas or exposure to a known patient or hot spot. The man was in his 60s and had underlying medical conditions. | |
| Leadership in a pandemic: How regional executives have confronted crisis | Leadership in a pandemic: How regional executives have confronted crisis |
| Hogan on Thursday urged residents still congregating in large numbers to “stop treating this like a vacation or a spring break.” | |
| He signed an executive order allowing bars, restaurants and distilleries to deliver alcohol or provide it as a carryout service while on-site consumption is prohibited, following the lead of the District, which adopted similar measures this week. | He signed an executive order allowing bars, restaurants and distilleries to deliver alcohol or provide it as a carryout service while on-site consumption is prohibited, following the lead of the District, which adopted similar measures this week. |
| Some business owners reeled at the latest batch of restrictions. | Some business owners reeled at the latest batch of restrictions. |
| Jorge Sactic, the owner of Chapina Bakery at the La Union mall in Langley Park, Md., said he got a call from the mall manager informing him that the complex would shut down for what Sactic said was the first time in at least 20 years. | |
| “This is going to be devastating,” said Sactic, the president of the Langley Park Small Business Owners Association. “A lot of people are going to get hurt. … How are you going to pay your rent if you’re closed, by their order?” | |
| Virginia reported 17 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the state total to 94. The new batch includes a boy from Gloucester County, Va., in eastern Virginia, who is the state’s first known child patient. | Virginia reported 17 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the state total to 94. The new batch includes a boy from Gloucester County, Va., in eastern Virginia, who is the state’s first known child patient. |
| The child is under 10 years old and is at home resting with family, the state health department said on its website. | The child is under 10 years old and is at home resting with family, the state health department said on its website. |
| Northam, the governor, announced no additional sweeping restrictions at a Thursday news conference, despite a letter from Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) urging him to join Maryland and the District in closing restaurants and banning all public mass gatherings through mid-April. | Northam, the governor, announced no additional sweeping restrictions at a Thursday news conference, despite a letter from Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax (D) urging him to join Maryland and the District in closing restaurants and banning all public mass gatherings through mid-April. |
| Fairfax also called for all K-12 schools and public colleges and universities to close through the end of the semester. | Fairfax also called for all K-12 schools and public colleges and universities to close through the end of the semester. |
| Officials said Virginia would end in-person visitation at state prisons, as Maryland and the D.C. jail have already done. Northam also said Medicaid co-pays will be eliminated, prescription refill periods will be extended to 90 days and telehealth services will be beefed up. | |
| “We want to make sure any Medicaid member who is sick can seek medical attention without worrying about how to pay for it,” said Karen Kimsey, director of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance. She said Medicaid would cover the cost of both testing and treatment for those with coronavirus symptoms. | “We want to make sure any Medicaid member who is sick can seek medical attention without worrying about how to pay for it,” said Karen Kimsey, director of the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance. She said Medicaid would cover the cost of both testing and treatment for those with coronavirus symptoms. |
| The deadline for paying state income taxes was pushed back from April 15 to June 1, though interest on outstanding payments will accrue in that period. | |
| In the District, 40 cases have been reported to date, with new data scheduled for release Thursday evening. In the last two days, more than half of the newly reported patients have been under the age of 40. At least four law enforcement officials working in the District have tested positive. | |
| Bowser said the cases accentuate the need for residents to stay at home to protect first responders from exposure. | Bowser said the cases accentuate the need for residents to stay at home to protect first responders from exposure. |
| “One first responder being impacted has a ripple effect on our entire service,” Bowser said. | “One first responder being impacted has a ripple effect on our entire service,” Bowser said. |
| Officials said three D.C. firefighters who tested positive for coronavirus are recovering at home, including two announced Wednesday who were partners in an ambulance in Southeast Washington. | Officials said three D.C. firefighters who tested positive for coronavirus are recovering at home, including two announced Wednesday who were partners in an ambulance in Southeast Washington. |
| Gregory Dean, chief of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, said 141 employees are under self quarantine because of exposure to those firefighters. City officials say they have been contacting patients who those firefighters helped transport to hospitals. | |
| The third firefighter is based at Engine 20 in Tenleytown in Northwest Washington and not linked to the other two cases. More firefighters could be quarantined as officials trace that firefighter’s contacts. | |
| Officials said 65 D.C. jail inmates are quarantined in separate cells because they came into contact with a deputy marshal at Superior Court who tested positive for the coronavirus. Cells are being cleaned and disinfected. | |
| At least 13 D.C. police employees are awaiting coronavirus test results, although none is under official quarantine. Some are staying home based on doctors’ advice. | |
| A charter school in Southeast Washington told parents in an email Wednesday evening that an elementary school student had been diagnosed with presumed covid-19. Bowser said Thursday that result of the child’s coronavirus test is still pending. | A charter school in Southeast Washington told parents in an email Wednesday evening that an elementary school student had been diagnosed with presumed covid-19. Bowser said Thursday that result of the child’s coronavirus test is still pending. |
| D.C. officials said about 30 National Guard members will be deployed in the city over the next few days to help with the response to the coronavirus, including medical help, logistics, security and planning. | |
| Christopher Rodriguez, director of the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, said the District received verbal confirmation from the federal government that its request for National Guard support would be approved later Thursday. Several National Guard members have been already been at city’s emergency operations center. | |
| Justin George, Peter Hermann, Luz Lazo, Michael E. Miller, Darran Simon, Patricia Sullivan and Rebecca Tan contributed to this report. | Justin George, Peter Hermann, Luz Lazo, Michael E. Miller, Darran Simon, Patricia Sullivan and Rebecca Tan contributed to this report. |
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