DC surpasses 3K coronavirus cases

Washington, D.C., surpassed 3,000 confirmed coronavirus cases Tuesday as the capital continues to grapple with the pandemic. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, the District has reported 3,098 cases and 112 deaths. Nearly one in every 200 of the city’s 702,455 residents have tested positive for the coronavirus. 

1/ The District’s reported data for Monday, April 20, 2020 includes 171 new positive coronavirus (COVID-19) cases, bringing the District’s overall positive case total to 3,098.

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— Mayor Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MayorBowser) April 21, 2020

The number of new cases in the district continues to move upward, with at least 100 new cases and five deaths reported each day. 

All of the deaths reported Tuesday have been patients older than 65, and 80 percent of coronavirus deaths in D.C. are black residents despite making up about 46 percent of the city’s population. 

The Army Corps of Engineers on Friday announced its plan to build a makeshift hospital in the nation’s capital to help with the coronavirus efforts.

Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) announced last Wednesday that the city’s stay-at-home order would be extended through May 15. Last Tuesday, Bowser said the city could see its coronavirus cases peak in May, after forecasting two days earlier that the high point was likely to come in June.

Bowser has been cautious about addressing reopening given the fact that the District is receiving less federal relief funding than states of comparable population sizes. Bowser told The Washington Post she does not expect Congress to grant the extra $700 million in coronavirus relief funds the city has asked for in the next relief package.