COVID-19 cases spike in DC; police respond to large Memorial Day weekend block party in Southeast
WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - Across the country, some people have ditched social distancing guidelines and face masks to party on this holiday weekend like they would any other year.
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A FOX 5 viewer sent video of a large block party on Hartford St. in Southeast D.C. Saturday night.
She estimated there were over 200 people there.
The video shows a D.C. police car trying to navigate through the crowd.
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A police spokeswoman didn't say whether citations were given, but a police source said there were no citations and officers did their best to clear the area.
On a conference call Sunday, FOX 5 asked D.C. Health Director Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt about the gathering.
"People will have to recognize that the more they do not follow our guidance and our advice, the longer that were going to be under restricted orders," said Nesbitt.
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She said some people may believe they're invincible to coronavirus because they're young and healthy, but that time and again healthy people have had complicated cases of the virus.
On that conference call Nesbitt discussed new information about a peak in coronavirus cases in the District that could impact when the city starts reopening.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said D.C. could start a phased reopening as soon as this Friday if there was a sustained 14 day decline in community spread of coronavirus. The city was on on track to see that 14th day on Sunday, however new cases have set back the timeline, resetting to day 11.
Nesbitt would not speak to whether that could impact D.C. starting phase 1 on Friday.
Mayor Bowser is expected to provide an update Tuesday. Watch LIVE here.
Track D.C., Maryland and Virginia coronavirus cases by county with this interactive map
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