The seven-day average for daily infections dropped below 36,000 on Thursday, about half the number reported in mid-April during a moderate spring increase in cases, and barely a tenth of the number from mid-January during the winter wave. Hospitalizations are at the lowest level since early October. Deaths remain at more than 600 a day on average, but also are gradually dropping as the infection pipeline is squeezed, and have not been this low since June 10. So far this month, the nation’s capital has reported no deaths from covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, on seven days.