D.C. extends closures, restrictions through end of April; Maryland suffers second fatality

His announcement came as District of Columbia officials reported that nine more people in the city had tested positive for the coronavirus.

"This is a public health crisis like nothing we have ever faced before - we are all in this together, and we will get through this together," Hogan said.

Hogan said the man, a Baltimore County resident, was in his 60s and suffered from underlying medical conditions. District officials said that three people who tested positive are in their 20s and two are in their 30s. They said a 22-year-old man who tested positive lives in Florida, and a 58-year-old man and a 34-year-old woman have unknown addresses.

Mayor Muriel Bowser on Friday extended school and restaurant closures and a ban on large gatherings through the end of April, following the first known covid-19 death in the nation's capital and a spike in coronavirus patients.

As of now, similar restrictions in place in Maryland and Virginia are limited to this month. 

Bowser, a Democrat, also closed playgrounds and extended the city's prohibition of on-site service at restaurants and bars and the closure of theaters, gyms and spas until April 25. The measures underscore a new reality for Washingtonians: No school, church, dining out or visits to the movie theater or gym for at least six weeks.

"I cannot stress enough that the threat of this virus poses very serious consequences for our community," the mayor said. "It does not discriminate based on age, race or gender. Everyone can get it and pass it on."

District officials said the 59-year-old man who died of the novel coronavirus Friday was admitted to a hospital last week with fever, cough and underlying medical conditions. The man may have had contact with a previous patient. 

A Prince George's man in his 60s died of the virus earlier this week, and two men in their 70s from eastern Virginia also have died. 

Bowser said the extension of the District's public health emergency is necessary to determine if social distancing measures are succeeding. District government will run on limited operations, with most employees working remotely. Recreational centers and libraries will stay closed until April 27, and gatherings of 50 or more are banned. Bowser said she is considering lowering the threshold for prohibited gatherings to 10 in accordance with federal guidance.

"We have virtually shut down our thriving economy in Washington, D.C., so that we can blunt the curve and get back to regular business just as soon as possible," she said. 

Public schools will use distance learning, with classes resuming April 27 instead of April 1. The city will also add an additional 10 meal sites for students, bringing the total to 29. The school closure order does not formally apply to public charter schools, but most follow the school system's lead.

"Teaching and learning will continue," said Paul Kihn, the deputy mayor for education.

Residents of the capital region are heading into a weekend with no Friday happy hours, no Saturday night concerts and no Sunday brunches. Large gatherings are prohibited throughout the District, Maryland and Virginia.

The regional Metro transit system announced late Friday it would curtail service further, running trains every 30 minutes and operating buses on a Sunday schedule.

Neither Hogan, a Republican, nor Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, announced new major restrictions or drastic measures to keep people apart - though officials reiterated the need to stay indoors, avoid crowds and stay away from their favorite neighborhood spots."Don't treat this like a normal weekend. There will be more weekends, more nice days, and right now we're all focused on flattening the curve," Bowser said."In just a matter of days, our lives have been upended but our sacrifices, we know, will save lives in our city and in our country."

Health experts say such social distancing can curb the spread of the virus and prevent the health care system from becoming overloaded. New York, Illinois and California - which have far more cases and deaths than the Washington region so far - this week took the even more drastic step of ordering residents to stay indoors as much as possible. 

The tally of known coronavirus cases in the District, Maryland and Virginia reached 347. District officials say four cases in their jurisdiction occurred among people who are not residents. Maryland says one reported case is of a woman who splits her time in Montana.

The District reported its largest single-day increase in known coronavirus cases on Thursday, nearly doubling from 40 to 72. The cases also included the first child known to have the virus, later identified as an 8-year-old student at Maury Elementary School.

Earlier this week, leaders at Rocketship Rise Academy Public Charter School in Washington informed families that one of their students was suspected of having the coronavirus. The child later tested negative, officials said. 

A District police detective also has tested positive, and the department is looking at relocating other detectives to a different facility, which has yet to be determined, so the homicide office can be deep-cleaned and disinfected, according to two officials with knowledge of the situation. Several first responders from the Fire and EMS Department have tested positive as well.

Maryland officials on Friday reported 42 new coronavirus cases, including the first infant and first teenager known to have contracted the virus, bringing the state's total number of known cases to 150. 

Hogan urged college students returning from spring break vacations to self-quarantine for two weeks and avoid senior citizens in case the students hadcontracted the virus while traveling. 

"If you ignore this recommendation, you are endangering yourself and the health of others," Hogan said.

The governor said even though most colleges have switched to online classes, students should not treat the time as an extended spring break.

Maryland is also shutting down Motor Vehicle Administration offices Friday evening, following Virginia and the District. People with expired driver's licenses and vehicle registrations can wait until a month after the state of emergency is lifted to renew them. 

In Montgomery County, a District suburb with a third of the state's known cases, officials are tapping reserves to launch a $25 million fund for small businesses, warning the economic repercussions of covid-19 may outlast the virus.

Greg Wheelan, who co-owns McGinty's Public House in Silver Spring, said that without assistance from local, state or federal governments, he could rack up $80,000 in debt by April. 

On Wednesday, he said, he made $400 in sales and gave out $500 in wages. "That's when it hit me," Wheelan said. "We're not going to survive without help."

Virginia officials reported 22 additional coronavirus cases Friday, bringing the statewide total to 116. 

Northam has taken the gentlest approach to enforcing social distancing rules at businesses, imposing a 10-person limit but not ordering restaurants and bars to stop serving customers on-site.

On Friday, he urged businesses to stop defying him.

"We're hearing reports of some businesses being noncompliant," Northam said. "Our localities have the authority to enforce the 10-person limit at restaurants, fitness centers and theaters. And I fully expect them to use it when needed. But many businesses and many people are doing the responsible thing and for that, I say, 'Thank you.' "

To help food and drink establishments with declining revenue, Northam said he's directed Virginia's Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to allow restaurants to sell beer and wine as takeout or delivery orders. The District and Maryland adopted similar rules this week.

Northam, a physician, said he was "putting on my doctor's hat for just a bit" as he warned about the financial and emotional stress the virus is inflicting.

"I know this is hard on people's morale," Northam said. "It is very, very stressful. It is scary. We are all experiencing big, unwanted changes, and we don't know how long this will all last."