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3 more coronavirus cases confirmed in DC, health officials say

So far in D.C., five people have contracted the coronavirus. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the first two confirmed cases on Saturday.

WASHINGTON — D.C. officials confirmed Monday evening that it's dealing with three additional presumptive positive coronavirus cases (COVID-19).

The confirmed cases bring the total number of cases in the District to five, and 16 across D.C., Maryland and Virginia.

The first cases of coronavirus started impacting the larger D.C. area last Thursday when Maryland's Gov. Larry Hogan announced that three people in Montgomery County had come down with the virus that has killed 26 people nationwide.

D.C. health officials classified exposure or close contact as someone who was within 6 feet of a positive coronavirus person who has symptoms. They said anyone who lived with a positive case or interacted with a positive case is also considered having been exposed.

Bowser has allocated District's Contingency Cash Reserve Fund to help front-line staff respond to the coronavirus. 

Christ Church Georgetown spokesman Rob Volmer on Saturday said that the D.C. resident who tested positive for the coronavirus was the Rev. Timothy Cole

Cole was at three services on Sunday, March 1, joined with 550 parishioners, Volmer said.

Bowser said she is also not canceling any big events or closing any public facilities until they have evidence that doing so would help increase the safety of D.C. residents.

"I will be very sure that our health department has checked and double-checked to make sure that we're making the tests available to everyone who meets the guideline, but if there are special circumstances that present that they will get a hard look from us," Bowser said.

D.C. officials said so far, they have not had an influx of 911 or 311 calls at the Office of United Communications for potential COVID-19 cases, but they are ready to staff up if the need presents.

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