More than half of new cases of COVID-19 in Alexandria in the past month are among people ages 10 to 40, according to new data released by the City of Alexandria’s Department of Health (ADH).
According to a pie chart released Tuesday, almost a quarter of new cases of the illness caused by the coronavirus pandemic have been in people ages 20 to 29 (23.5 percent of new cases) from Sept. 6 to Oct. 5.
City of Alexandria Dept. of Health
While Alexandria itself isn’t a “college town,” many students who were at schools like James Madison University, which opened in late August and sent students home in early September, are now back home in Alexandria. Some may have brought the virus back with them.
City of Alexandria Dept. of Health
Residents in their 30s are a close second for number of positive COVID-19 tests, account for about 20.4 percent of cases in the past month.
By Ethnicity, Alexandria’s Latino population has the highest coronavirus case rate, accounting for more than 46 percent of cases from the start of the pandemic in March through Oct. 5.
Individuals who identify as Latino or Hispanic make up 16.8 percent of the population in Alexandria, showing that the virus has hit that community particularly hard this year. Black residents account for about 21 percent of cases, cumulatively — just slightly higher than white residents.
City of Alexandria Dept. of Health
In the same release, AHD provided new ZIP code data showing much higher rates of virus transmission in certain communities.
The 22305 ZIP code, primarily the Arlandria area, “leads” the city with a 15.5 percent positivity rate as of Oct. 5. Testing is high in that ZIP code, with more than 318 tests per 1,000 people completed, and 49 confirmed cases of COVID-19 per 1,000 residents.
The 22312 and 22311 ZIP codes come in second and third place with 13.4 and 11.6 percent positivity rates as of Oct. 5 — but more detailed data is hard to come by for those ZIP codes. A portion of those ZIP codes are in Fairfax County.
The 22304 ZIP code, Alexandria’s largest by population, has a 9.7 percent positivity rate, having completed more than 233 tests per 1,000 residents and seeing a case rate of 22 per 1,000 residents.
The Old Town 22314 ZIP code, Alexandria’s second largest by population, has a 5.1 percen positivity rate. There have been more than 172 tests per 1,000 residents and a case rate of 8.8 per 1,000 residents.
For more detailed data, click here.
AHD is doing contact tracing seven days per week, and connecting residents with helpful resources, including testing. AHD is also supporting Neighborhood Health in organizing weekly targeted testing events for specific communities.
In October, there are also five open, free testing events (click here for additional details) in Alexandria.
In addition, several sites offer tests every day for residents. For more information, go to alexandriava.gov/coronavirus.
