'Significant Virus Circulating Here': White House Expert On MD

MARYLAND — As emergency room visits and coronavirus cases decline in some parts of the country, the virus has continued to spread in a handful of hot spots like Maryland and the District of Columbia, a White House official said Friday. Researchers are now studying three metropolitan areas, including the D.C. metro, to understand the cause.

"There is still significant virus circulating here," said Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, pointing to Maryland, Virginia and D.C.

Birx said she has directed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to study three metropolitan areas — D.C., Los Angeles and Chicago — to figure out what is happening.

"Even though Washington [D.C.] has remained closed, LA has remained closed, Chicago has remained closed, we still see these ongoing cases," Birx said Friday during a White House news briefing. The CDC "is working with the local areas ... to really understand where are these new cases coming from, and what do we need to do to prevent them in the future?" Birx said.

Across the country, Birx said 42 states had a less than 10 percent positivity rate for coronavirus on a rolling seven-day average, meaning under 10 percent of those tested for the virus came up positive during that period. Those with the highest positivity rates were Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

"The number-one metro with the highest positivity rate is the District of Columbia, which includes Northern Virginia and Maryland — Montgomery County and PG County," Birx said Friday. "That is followed by Baltimore, Chicago and Minneapolis."

Along with the positivity rate, she said another key indicator was concerning — emergency room data.

"There has not been a dramatic decline in the emergency room visits with COVID-like illnesses," Birx said of the D.C. metro area, stating this metric was trending down in areas like New York.

For the latest developments on the coronavirus in Maryland, get Patch news alerts.

Testing Expanding Across The State

The Maryland Department of Health reported 45,495 cases of the virus were confirmed in the state as of Saturday morning. More than 1,000 cases were added in the last day.

Statewide 186,832 negative test results have also been reported, an addition of more than 3,300 since Friday.

After several changes in Maryland's approach to coronavirus testing were announced this week, the number of overall tests is likely to surge, which could shift the positivity rate in the region.

State health officials rolled out appointment-free testing at the Maryland State Fairgrounds Thursday. Within a little more than an hour, Baltimore County officials reported the site had reached capacity. It had 1,000 tests to administer for the day.

Baltimore County announced Friday it would begin testing residents without a doctor's order; however, people must call the county's COVID-19 hotline at 410-887-3816 to get an appointment.

The Glen Burnie and Hyattsville VEIP stations began offering appointment-free testing Friday, and the VEIP station in Clinton is expected to open next week with appointment-free testing as well.

Select CVS, Rite Aid and Walmart stores around the state are offering coronavirus tests.

Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday ordered universal testing at all state correctional and juvenile facilities.

He expanded testing criteria Tuesday so people do not require symptoms to get tested. He also authorized pharmacists to administer coronavirus tests.

See a list of testing sites in Maryland.

“Beginning this week, we are able to offer appointment-free COVID-19 testing across the state, including for those who do not have symptoms, marking a critical milestone in Maryland’s long-term testing strategy,” Hogan said in a statement. “This will help doctors diagnose and treat new cases more quickly, and it will further increase the safety of our state for all citizens."

More Than 2,100 Deaths Reported In Maryland

A total of 2,130 Marylanders have died as of Saturday from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus; 113 others are believed to have died from the virus, but lab results are still pending. In Montgomery County, more than 500 people have lost their lives to COVID-19.

Four jurisdictions account for 69.4 percent of the state's deaths from the virus as of Saturday: Montgomery County with 514 deaths, Prince George's County with 462 deaths, Baltimore County with 284 deaths and Baltimore City with 220 deaths.

Baltimore City as well as Charles, Montgomery and Prince George's counties remain under local stay-at-home orders.

• Charles County will lift its stay-at-home order May 29.
• Prince George's County plans to reopen by June 1.
• Baltimore City has canceled events with more than 250 people through Aug. 31.
• Montgomery County has not set any date for reopening.

The District of Columbia could begin a phased reopening May 29.

One Maryland County Has 10% Positivity Rate

The number of those who test positive out of the overall number of tests administered determines the positivity rate.

As of Saturday, Maryland has a 19.58 percent positivity rate for the virus.

"Most experts, including those at Johns Hopkins and the World Health Organization, recommend that the COVID positivity rate for a community be less than 12 percent," Harford County Health Officer Russell Moy, M.D., told leaders at a briefing in his jurisdiction this week.

In Harford County, he said the positivity rate was 10 percent, compared with the state's, which was closer to 20 percent.

"If a community's positivity rate is too high, that might indicate that the community is only testing the sickest patients who seek medical attention and does not have enough testing capacity to accurately measure how prevalent the virus is throughout the community," Moy said. "On the other hand, a low positivity rate in testing data — like that in Harford County — can be seen as a sign that the community is testing enough of its population to make informed decisions about reopening."

If people know they have the virus, experts say, they can isolate themselves to prevent its spread.

"We need to stay careful because all you need is a few big outbreaks," Moy said, "and that could change those numbers overnight."

Coronavirus in Maryland: A Snapshot

Here is a look at Maryland's coronavirus numbers as of Saturday, May 23:

Admissions went up on the intensive care unit day-to-day, where 524 patients were being treated for the virus Saturday, compared with 506 people Friday.

Statewide 1,320 people are hospitalized with the virus as of Saturday morning, health officials say.

Hospitalizations are down by 160 people through seven consecutive days of decline, state health data shows. There have also been 254 virus-related deaths in the last week, and it is unknown how many of those individuals were in the hospital.

Since the first cases of the virus were confirmed March 5 in Maryland, officials say 7,825 people have been hospitalized due to the virus and 3,283 Marylanders have been released from isolation.

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Jurisdiction

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Age And Gender

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Race And Ethnicity

Coronavirus At Group Living Facilities

Data about coronavirus at congregate living facilities is updated weekly on Wednesdays, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

Here are the numbers as of Saturday, May 23:

Maryland has reportedly deployed teams to conduct universal testing for nursing home residents and staff as well as workers at Maryland’s two poultry processing plants. It has prioritized outbreaks and hot spots.

Universal testing will be made available at all state-run correctional and juvenile facilities, Hogan announced Wednesday, May 20.

Coronavirus Symptoms

Symptoms of the new coronavirus can appear two to 14 days after exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which lists the following as possible indicators of the illness: fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.

The CDC has an online self-checker tool for those concerned they may have the virus.

Health officials say most people with the virus will experience mild symptoms and can recover at home. Older adults and people of any age with serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, according to the CDC.

People should call 911 and seek immediate medical attention if they have trouble breathing, bluish lips or face, new confusion or inability to arouse and/or persistent pain or pressure in the chest.

See Also:

• 3 Places To Test For Coronavirus, No Symptoms Needed: MD Health
• What MD Coronavirus Data Shows Over 4 Weeks
• Stay-At-Home Order Remains In Baltimore: Mayor
• Nearly 43,000 DC Residents Tested For Coronavirus To Date
• Pharmacists Begin Coronavirus Testing, MD Death Toll Up

Watch the White House news briefing May 22 where Maryland and D.C. were discussed: