The Covid test positivity rate in Arlington has reached a level last seen in January during the Omicron surge, but cases have been dropping.
The numbers reflect, at least in part, significantly lower testing volumes amid Fourth of July vacations.
The county’s test positivity rate currently stands at 21%, up from a seasonal low of 13.8% two weeks ago. The seven-day moving average rate of new daily cases, meanwhile, is 116, down from 163 one month ago, according to Virginia Dept. of Health data.
Encouragingly, Covid hospital admissions continue to slowly fall. According to the CDC, Arlington is recording 5.9 weekly admissions per 100,000 people, down from 7.2 about two weeks ago.
Experts say newer Omicron sub-variants are even more transmissible and can re-infect those who recently recovered from a Covid case just a few weeks ago. That may explain why this summer has so far not seen the usual lull in infections. The test positivity rate in Arlington had its last well-defined bottom point in March.
The county recently started vaccinating children ages 6 months to 5 years and reported more than 400 vaccinations for that age group in the first week that shots were available.
