MD Adds 1,000 Coronavirus Cases; Positivity, Hospitalizations Up

MARYLAND — Coronavirus cases, positivity rates and hospitalizations are up in Maryland, the Maryland Department of Health reported Wednesday.

In the past day, officials said 1,000 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed, bringing the total number of people infected in Maryland to 148,766. The last time Maryland had more than 1,000 cases reported in a day was Aug. 1.

Citing increases in cases and positivity, Baltimore County Public Schools announced Wednesday it was delaying its plan to reopen four schools.

The case rate — calculated by the number of daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 — is 18.3 in Baltimore County, according to state health data released Wednesday.

When an area exceeds 10 new cases per 100,000, community spread has accelerated and is at dangerous levels, according to the Harvard Global Health Institute.

In Montgomery County, where the case rate is at 13.05 Wednesday, WMAL reported County Executive Marc Elrich wants further restrictions at restaurants, limiting them from 50 percent capacity to 25 percent capacity, a proposal that will be up for discussion at Thursday's County Council meeting. Montgomery County on Wednesday hit two straight weeks with more than 100 daily new COVID-19 cases, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

Data showed 18 of Maryland's 24 jurisdictions reported COVID-19 case rates above 10 per 100,000. The state's case rate is 14.24, the Maryland Department of Health reported Wednesday.

If the case rate is greater than 25, officials say community spread is out of control and may require measures to curb the infection. Currently Allegany and Dorchester counties meet that criteria, at 37.53 and 25.06, respectively. Dorchester County rolled back its school reopening plans in late October.

Here are the latest coronavirus case rates per 100,000, according to the Maryland Department of Health:

As more people are tested, more cases of the virus are reported, which is why the state also tracks the positivity rate, showing the percentage of the tests that come back positive. Positivity rates should be at or below 5 percent for two weeks for an area to relax restrictions, according to the World Health Organization.

Six counties have positivity rates that are over 5 percent as of Nov. 4, according to Maryland health data:

• Allegany County: 5.59 percent
• Dorchester County: 6.08 percent
• Garrett County: 5.59 percent
• Prince George's County: 5.24 percent
• Queen Anne's County: 5.2 percent
• Somerset County: 6.59 percent

Statewide, the positivity rate is 4.1 percent, which is up 1 percent since two weeks ago; the positivity rate was 3.1 percent on Oct. 21 in Maryland, state health officials said.

Hospitalizations are also on the rise.

On Wednesday, state health officials said 595 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. One week ago, 501 people were in the hospital with the virus.

While the number has begun to increase, it is nowhere near what it was during the peak in the spring when in late April and early May, more than 1,700 coronavirus patients were in Maryland hospitals.

Still, hospitalizations are the highest they have been since June 22.

"We are beginning to see a consistent increase of positive COVID-19 cases and a concerning trend of hospitalization increases," Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said in a statement this week. Acknowledging that "many residents are feeling quarantine fatigue," he encouraged people to remain vigilant — wear face coverings, wash hands and practice physical distancing.

To help curb the spread of the virus, the Maryland Department of Health is continuing its campaign to promote face coverings and has partnered with local jurisdictions to distribute more than 50,000 free masks since July.

In Kent County, health officials distributed masks at polling places on Election Day.

The city of Rockville will distribute masks at the David Scull Community Center Friday.

“We look forward to the possibility of every county in the state hosting a mask distribution event,” Maryland Health Secretary Robert R. Neall said in a statement. “With fall and winter approaching rapidly, we all need to join together to help prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases.”

As of Wednesday, the state has reported 4,025 deaths; 1.83 million negative tests; and released 8,235 coronavirus patients from isolation due to the coronavirus.

Here's a look at coronavirus in Maryland as of Wednesday, Nov. 4: