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DC health officials recommend canceling all mass gatherings

Associated Press | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 10 months AGO
by Associated Press
| March 11, 2020 10:30 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington health officials recommended on Wednesday that all “non-essential mass gatherings, including conferences and conventions,” be postponed or canceled through the end of March in light of the coronavirus outbreak, a move that could imperil the popular Cherry Blossom Festival.

The announcement signals a major escalation in the District of Columbia's response to the spread of the virus.

A brief statement from the District of Columbia Health Department did not mention the Cherry Blossom Festival, but it recommended that “any social, cultural, or entertainment events where large crowds are anticipated be reconsidered by the organizer” through March 31. It defined mass gatherings as “events where 1,000 or more people congregate in a specific location.”

Officials have steadfastly refused to speculate on the fate of the Cherry Blossom Festival, which starts on March 20 and typically signals the beginning of Washington's tourist high season.

Washington officials declined to comment beyond the statement, but Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser scheduled a briefing for later in the afternoon.

The announcement has massive implications for Washington's many museums, events and performance venues. The city's St. Patrick's Day parade has been postponed, and Eileen Andrews, a spokeswoman for the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, said they were assessing the city's recommendation.

Lauren Lyons, a spokeswoman for the Smithsonian network of museums, said in an email: “As of now the Smithsonian is continuing to welcome guests to our museums and scheduled public programs as normal.”

Monumental Sports & Entertainment said that Washington Capitals hockey and Wizards basketball games would be played as scheduled before spectators and that other events at Capital One Arena would go on “at the direction of their respective promoters.”

Events DC, which operates the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, is suspending operations there from March 13 to March 31, disclosing that five people who attended the recent AIPAC conference had tested positive for the coronavirus, up from the two that AIPAC had publicly reported.

Events DC President Greg O'Dell said he was working with the Capital City Go Go, the G-league affiliate of the Wizard, to come up with alternatives for the three games scheduled during the rest of March. Events DC also owns Nationals Park, home of the reigning baseball world champions. With an opening game scheduled for April 2, O'Dell said the decision on whether to hold it would lie with the team and the D.C. government.

“Right now we just want to move forward with proactive measures and prioritize the health and safety of our staff and our guests,” he said.

Also Wednesday, Georgetown University joined the growing list of higher learning institutions to cancel in-person classes

The announcement came a day after American University in Washington made a similar move. As with American University, the Georgetown dorms will remain open, but students are encouraged to return home instead of staying on campus.

Georgetown has reported no suspected cases of coronavirus infections on campus. However, the university hospital is treating Washington, D.C.'s, first identified victim.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

In Washington, the Rev. Tim Cole, rector of Christ Church Georgetown Episcopal church, identified himself over the weekend as the city's first patient. City officials asked several hundred people who entered the church on days when Cole was present and symptomatic to quarantine themselves. Two subsequent positive infection cases, one living in Washington and the other in Virginia, have been Christ Church parishioners. The church has canceled all services and activities indefinitely.

Cole released an open letter to his parishioners on Tuesday, saying he was improving slowly. “Being the first point of outbreak in Washington obviously required strong measures, but I fully understand the inconvenience, and I deeply apologize,” Cole wrote.

The District of Columbia has reported four positive virus cases, although that number doesn't include people who may have been infected in Washington but live in nearby northern Virginia or southern Maryland. For example, Loudoun County, Virginia, has reported a positive case in a local resident who is a Christ Church congregant.

Some Washington schools have closed for one day to enable deep cleaning. The district's public school system on Wednesday announced it would move a planned professional development day for teachers and staff from March 20 up to Monday to focus the day on virus-related training and preparation.

About a half-dozen members of Congress are on a 14-day self-quarantine after coming in contact with potentially infected people. On Tuesday, Virginia Democratic Rep. Don Beyer announced he would self-quarantine after dining 10 days ago with a person who tested positive for the virus.

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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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