At least 12 of the 77 charities and non-profits awarded COVID-19 assistance grants in July by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser have yet to receive the money.
According to a News-4 I-Team investigation, some of the $10 million in promised “Hope Grants,” intended for PPE and public health resources, still has not been delivered following the announcement of the grants in early summer.
“This was supposed to be an emergency grant. This is a problem,” said Taylar Nuevelle, a spokeswoman and volunteer for Empower DC, a nonprofit which provides supplies and education programs for low-income Washington, D.C. residents.
On Monday, dozens of people were turned away from a coronavirus testing location at Judiciary Square after the National Guard cut the line off after 300 tests.
According to officials, testing was cut short because LabCorp, one of D.C.'s coronavirus testing providers, reduced the District's weekly supply of COVID-19 tests from 10,000 to 8,000 tests.
Later Monday, LabCorp informed D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser it would increase the weekly allotment of COVID-19 test kits back to 10,000 by the end of the week. There is no guarantee the tests won’t be reduced again at later date.
What the Data Shows
Virginia reported its largest ever single-day increase in deaths, with 84 deaths recorded. According to the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), the spike was due to a data backlog.
"Regarding the death data for Tuesday, September 15, 2020, there is an existing data backlog. VDH is working diligently to identify COVID-19 related deaths using vital record death certificate information," VDH wrote in their coronavirus data hub.
The seven-day average for COVID-19 cases in D.C., Maryland and Virginia is at 46, 572 and 935 cases, respectively. The number of average new cases in the region has remained fairly stable over the past week.
Tuesday marks the fourth consecutive day of a decline in hospitalizations in Virginia. Currently, 686 people are being hospitalized for COVID-19 in the state.
The map below shows the number of coronavirus cases diagnosed per 100,000 residents.
Coronavirus Cases in DC, Maryland and Virginia
COVID-19 cases by population in D.C. and by county in Maryland and Virginia
Source: DC, MD and VA Health Departments
Credit: Anisa Holmes / NBC Washington
Local Coronavirus Headlines
- People over the age of 10 will be required to wear a mask in public spaces in Alexandria, Virginia, effective Oct. 1, local officials say.
- The Smithsonian is set to reopen four more museums to the public beginning this Friday.
- The University of Maryland began transitioning to in-person lessons on Monday after the school reported a low campus positivity rate of 0.7%.
- Some D.C. Public Schools students could be back in the classroom as early as this month, the mayor said. Read more.
- Up to 25,000 low-income students and families in D.C. are set to be provided free internet connections under a new initiative from Mayor Muriel Bowser. Here's what to know.
- What can sewage tell us about COVID-19 in our communities? Stafford County, Virginia, provides an example.
- Washington, D.C., has released an updated list of states that are considered “high risk” during the coronavirus pandemic and subject to travel restrictions. Here's the list.
Reopening Tracker
- Montgomery and Prince George's counties are among those that did not enter phase three with the state of Maryland. Here's a roundup of counties in our area.
- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he has authorized all public schools in the state to begin “safely” reopening because state metrics on the coronavirus show improvements. The state “strongly suggests” that local school districts bring students back into schools but cannot force them to do so, Hogan said. Montgomery and Prince George's schools have both affirmed that they are not altering plans to hold classes online throughout the first half of the school year.
- Private and parochial schools in Maryland can choose when to reopen after a back-and-forth between county health officials and the governor. Read more.
- Prince George's County revisited its phase two reopening executive order due to an uptick in coronavirus cases, according to the county executive's office.
- Virginia entered phase three reopening on July 1, loosening restrictions on restaurants, stores, gyms and pools. Northam has said more restrictions could be implemented if cases continue to grow.
- D.C. entered phase two on June 22, allowing indoor dining, gyms, libraries and houses of worship to reopen with restrictions.
- Montgomery County entered phase two on June 19, reopening with restrictions gyms, houses of worship, indoor dining and retail.
How to Stay Safe
There are ways to lower your risk of catching coronavirus. Here are guidelines from the CDC:
- Wear a snug-fitting mask that covers your nose and mouth.
- Avoid being indoors with people who are not members of your household. The more people you are in contact with, the more likely you are to be exposed to COVID-19. If you are indoors with people you don’t live with, stay at least six feet apart and keep your mask on.
- Wash your hands often, especially after you have been in a public place.
Sophia Barnes, Andrea Swalec and Anisa Holmes contributed to this report
Coronavirus Deaths in Your City and State — and Across the US
These charts use daily coronavirus death data from Johns Hopkins University to show the seven-day moving average of deaths at the city, state and country level.
The impact of coronavirus varies enormously in the United States from one place to another.
Source: Johns Hopkins University.
Credit: Visuals by Amy O’Kruk/NBC, data analysis by Ron Campbell/NBC
CORRECTION (Sept. 16, 2020, 1:25 pm. ET): An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that people over the age of 10 could face a fine of up to $100 for not wearing a mask in public spaces in Alexandria, Virginia. The fine was considered, but was ultimately removed from the final legislation.
