Another day, another few dozen positive coronavirus tests in Arlington.
As of Wednesday, the latest Virginia Dept. of Health data shows 912 known COVID-19 cases in Arlington, along with 163 hospitalizations. That’s up from 865 cases and 157 hospitalizations yesterday.
Statewide, VDH reports 14,961 total cases, 2,259 hospitalizations, 522 deaths and 85,307 total tests. A bit of good news: Virginia hospitals are still running well under capacity.
Numbers from the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association:
Current Patients: 1566 (+58)
Discharged: 2042 (+128)
Bed Availability: 5152 (-25)
Ventilator Use: 20% (no change)
Hospitals Facing 72 Hour Resupply Issue for PPE/Other Supplies: 1/0 (-1/-1) pic.twitter.com/DjMkrWyUL0— Cam Thompson (@CamThompsonCBS6) April 29, 2020
The not-so-good news is that the state and the county are lagging in terms of testing. It was reported today that Virginia “is tied for the second-lowest rate of COVID-19 testing in the entire country,” a disparity that officials have been trying to address.
In Arlington, there have only been 3,436 test results reported, enough to test about 1.5% of the population. On Wednesday VDH reported 47 new cases and 115 new tests for Arlington, an implied 41% positivity rate. From the start of the epidemic, the overall test positivity rate is 27% for Arlington and 17.5% statewide — both of which are considered high.
For reference, about 2% of tests come back positive in South Korea, and about 7% in Germany. Here’s how positivity rates break down in the different states in the U.S. 13/n pic.twitter.com/rNyRdVJofC
— Scott Gottlieb, MD (@ScottGottliebMD) April 20, 2020
Arlington’s low testing rate and high positivity rate is a concern for two reasons. First, it implies that there may be many more cases in the community than are being reported. Second, widespread testing needs to be in place to be able to quickly identify new outbreaks and safely open up more parts of the economy, and Arlington is far from that point at the current rates.
Recent Stories
Funeral for Arlington Marine — “Funeral arrangements have been announced for Washington-Liberty High School graduate Spencer Collart… Visitation will take place on Sunday, Sept. 24 from 3 to 6 p.m….
Chain Bridge Forest Gem: Elegance Meets Everyday Comfort
Good Thursday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar. 🕗 News recap The following articles were published earlier today…
A look at the most and least expensive townhouses sold in Arlington last month, August 2023.
Thorough Testing
Sometimes mold is easy to spot, but you don’t know how deep inside your walls it has spread. It can grow in sinks, cabinets, and other places you frequent every day. If you find mold, the question remains: Do I call a professional? Thistle Environmental, LLC believes in quality, comprehensive testing.
CALL NOW: (703) 929-4036
WOW 1 DAY PAINTING brings people a fast, affordable, and high-quality solution for all of their interior or exterior residential and commercial painting projects. We respect your time as much as you do and provide the quality paint job you expect, in a timeline that is unexpected.
Schedule a consult today:
T. (202) 845-7899
NY Cat Film Festival
Experience through film the beauty of our relationships to cats. This unique film is a compilation of shorts with a feline theme which premieres every year in New York City and then travels to venues across the United States. This
First Baby? Find Your New Mom Tribe!
Whether you’re expecting your first or you just had your first baby, we want to meet YOU! All those feelings you’re having are NORMAL and it’s not just you, so please don’t isolate yourself (that’s quicksand)! Join us for a
