Loudoun Now for March 12, 2020

Page 1

n LOUDOUN

Pg. 4|

n LEESBURG

VOL. 5, NO. 17

Pg. 8|

n PUBLIC SAFETY

Pg. 16|

n OBITUARIES

Pg. 22 |

n PUBLIC NOTICES

We've got you covered. In the mail weekly. Online always at LoudounNow.com

First Coronavirus Case Reported LOUDOUN NOW STAFF REPORT

The Loudoun County Health Department announced Tuesday that one resident has tested presumptive positive for coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19. The presumptive positive case is a Loudoun resident in his or her 40s. The patient is believed to have come in contact with the virus while attending Christ Church, Georgetown in Washington, DC. The church’s reverend, Timothy Cole, tested positive for the virus and the church has suspended all services and meetings until further notice. Cole, who is in his late 50s, reportedly was diagnosed with the flu on March 3, pneumonia on March 5, and COVID-19 on March 7. The Loudoun resident’s case was brought to the attention of the Health Department early Tuesday morning, March 10, following testing for the novel coronavirus by the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services in Richmond. The positive test result is considered a presumptive positive, pending confirmatory testing by CDC. The patient is currently doing well and is isolated at home, county leaders said. Loudoun’s first coronavirus case marks the eighth known infection in Virginia. As of Tuesday, the Virginia Department of Health’s website showed five presumptive positive cases in the commonwealth’s northern region, two in the eastern region and one in the northwest. Since transmission of COVID-19 first began in Wuhan, China, more than 100,000 people worldwide have been infected, and more than 3,000 have died. To address community concerns, county leaders held a press conference on Tues-

Pg. 36

MARCH 12, 2020

Hillsboro Officially Breaks Ground on Rt. 9 Road Project BY PATRICK SZABO

pszabo@loudounnow.com

Patrick Szabo/Loudoun Now

County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large) leads a press conference on Tuesday to discuss county plans to protect against coronavirus, with Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk, Supervisor Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg) and Loudoun Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend also present.

day—with Loudoun County Health Department Director Dr. David Goodfriend, County Chairwoman Phyllis J. Randall (D-At Large), Supervisors Tony Buffington (R-Blue Ridge), Mike Turner (D-Ashburn) and Kristen Umstattd (D-Leesburg), Leesburg Mayor Kelly Burk, Sheriff Mike Chapman and Fire-Rescue Chief Keith Johnson in attendance. Goodfriend said it was not unexpected to have presumptive positive cases in Loudoun. He said the county has been preparing for an outbreak like this for the past 15 years, seeing that Loudoun is home to Dulles Airport where thousands of people traveling from foreign countries enter the county each day. “We’re always one flight or one car ride

way from any infection that’s rounded the world,” he said. But, Goodfriend said, just traveling through Dulles Airport is not viewed as a health risk. Randall said county leaders are doing everything they can to protect against a widespread outbreak and that the risk of other residents contracting coronavirus from this week’s first reported case in Loudoun remains low. “We are continuing to do everything in our power to keep Loudoun safe and healthy,” she said. “Our highest priority is keeping people safe.”

With about 100 people watching outside Hillsboro’s Old Stone School Friday morning, the first piece of earth was moved in the town’s longplanned Rt. 9 traffic calming project—by Miss America, no less. It was the groundbreaking ceremony for the town’s road project, which has been planned for 16 years. By late spring 2021, that project will see two roundabouts installed on either end of town, new sidewalks constructed on each side of the road and utility lines buried underneath. Climbing aboard an excavator to dig up the ceremonial first patch of dirt was Miss America 2020 Camille Schrier, who had been visiting with students at the Hillsboro Charter Academy earlier that morning. Following Mayor Roger Vance’s turn digging a bit in the excavator, the crowd—which included many project workers, engineers, local government leaders, business owners, residents and elementary school children— moved inside to enjoy a construction-site lunch and hear about the years of work that went into bringing the project to fruition. Vance said that in 428 days, the

CORONAVIRUS continues on page 46

RT. 9 continues on page 46

Give your child a competitive advantage. New Dulles Campus!

Schedule Your ˀ Private Tour Today

Near the intersection Lower School Middle School High School of Routes 28 & 606 703 759 5100 www.FairfaxChristianSchool.com

ECRWSS Postal Customer

Permit #1374 Merrifield VA

PAID

U.S. Postage PRESRT STD


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.