MD Coronavirus Cases Increase By Over 6K In First 2 Days Of 2021

MARYLAND — In the first two days of 2021, state health officials say more than 6,500 new cases of the coronavirus were reported in Maryland. There are now more than 283,000 cases of the virus as of Jan. 2, according to the Maryland Department of Health, which reports the state has recorded over 2.5 million negative test results since the beginning of the pandemic.

It was not until November that state health officials began seeing daily increases in new cases that topped 2,000.

Authorities said 2,925 positive test results were added to Maryland's tally of confirmed cases as of Saturday, after 3,557 positive test results were reported on New Year's Day.

Positivity has also ticked up in the past month. On Dec. 1, the coronavirus positivity rate in the state was 7.52 percent on a rolling seven-day average. As of Jan. 1, it is 8.94 percent, a 1.42 percent increase in the past month.

Here are the latest coronavirus positivity rates by jurisdiction:

The positivity rate, showing the percentage of the tests that come back positive, should be at or below 5 percent for two weeks for an area to relax restrictions, according to the World Health Organization.

Hospitalizations are down by 42 in the last day, according to state health data; there are 1,692 coronavirus patients in Maryland hospitals as of Jan. 2. The number was 1,578 on Dec. 2, so the number of hospitalized coronavirus patients increased by 114 in the last month in Maryland.

As of Jan. 2, officials say 5,799 have died from COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, in Maryland, an increase of more than 1,200 in the last month. Authorities said 4,558 Marylanders had died from COVID-19 as of Dec. 2.

To slow the spread of the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends staying home if possible, avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, washing hands with soap and water, maintaining 6 feet of distance between people and wearing a mask over the nose and mouth.

Maryland began receiving its first shipments of the vaccine for COVID-19 on Dec. 14.

So far, Maryland’s allotment totals 191,075 doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

First it is vaccinating health care workers, nursing home residents, nursing home staff and first responders. After this phase, those who are at significantly higher risk of severe illness from the virus will be vaccinated.

State health officials say 56,151 Marylanders have been vaccinated as of Jan. 2, an increase of 2,091 in the last day.

Here's a look at coronavirus in Maryland as of Saturday, Jan. 2:

See Also:

• MD Coronavirus Deaths, Positivity Rate Tick Up As NYE Approaches
• 409 COVID-19 Cases, 4 Deaths Recorded Overnight In Montgomery Co.
• MD Nursing Home Residents, Staff Receive COVID-19 Vaccine