COVID-19 cases climb across parts of DC region as CDC changes course on mask guidance

WASHINGTON - Areas across the nation and the D.C. region are seeing a spike in COVID-19 cases as the highly contagious delta variant continues to spread.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fully vaccinated individuals should now wear masks in certain indoor areas in places with substantial and high coronavirus spread.

CHECK THE CDC MAP LEVEL OF COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION

The CDC defines areas of substantial viral transmission as 50 to 100 cases per 100,000 population over a seven-day period, and high viral spread is defined as over 100 cases per 100,000 over a seven-day period, FOX News reports.

CORONAVIRUS IN DC, MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA

As of July 27, 21 states, territories and jurisdictions were experiencing high viral spread, including nearly all of the southern states.

In a state-level breakdown of community COVID-19 spread in the seven days leading up to July 27, Maryland fell in the moderate level of community transmission and Virginia in the substantial level of community transmission.

A further breakdown by county shows all Maryland counties and most northern Virginia counties are under a moderate level of community transmission.

Federal data indicates 60% of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, with almost 70% receiving at least one dose.

Positive COVID-19 cases continue to grow in Maryland, Virginia and D.C. In Maryland, over 300 additional cases were reported Tuesday with two additional deaths and a positivity rate of 2.31%. On Monday, the District reported 68 new positive cases and a positivity rate of 2.3%. In Virginia, the seven day positivity rate climbed to 4.7%.

FOX News contributed to this report