Community spread of coronavirus in Washington, D.C., has declined for eight days and officials will evaluate this week a scheduled reopening date, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) said Monday during a budget presentation.
Bowser said officials will discuss sector plans regarding reopening the District on Thursday. She said members of the Re-Open DC steering committee have been hearing over the last week about how various parts of the economy will reopen.
Bowser suggested she is still looking for a 14-day decline in transmission ahead of lifting the district’s stay-at-home order, which has been extended to June 8.
Asked what the eight-day decline means in terms of the District’s reopening, Bowser responded that “it means we are eight days toward 14 days of decreased transmission.”
She also said the District’s testing and hospital usage is “on track” and tracing capability is “almost where we need it to be.”
“And that will put us even closer by Thursday, barring some unforeseen spike, to be able to talk a little bit more when we can begin a phased reopening,” she said.
On Monday, Bowser reported 147 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and nine deaths, bringing the total number of cases in D.C. to 7,270 and deaths to 392.