MD Coronavirus Data Shows 'Troubling Disparities' By Race: Hogan

MARYLAND — More than 40 percent of those who died from the new coronavirus in Maryland are black, according to new data released Thursday. For the first time since it began reporting on the virus, the Maryland Department of Health has provided demographic information, and it shows African Americans have more confirmed cases and deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the virus, than other groups.

"Currently available data ... shows troubling disparities and points to a persistent public health challenge that we must address," Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement Thursday morning.

Local and national leaders have said black Americans are dying at a disproportionate rate across the country from the virus, citing lack of health care access coupled with pre-existing conditions.

"Black Americans are bearing the full brunt of the coronavirus in Maryland, facing higher rates of infections and mortality. We cannot hide from this grim reality. We must confront these systemic racial disparities head on, and do so right now," Congressman Anthony Brown, who represents parts of Anne Arundel and Prince George's counties, said in a statement Thursday afternoon.

"Black Americans are more likely to be uninsured and more likely to have a frontline job during this crisis," Brown said. "Marginalized and vulnerable populations need more testing, and doctors in these communities need more resources. We need to act now to ensure these disparities don't become worse during this public health crisis, and work to close these gaps moving forward."

There are 6,185 confirmed cases and 138 deaths in Maryland from the new coronavirus as of Thursday, April 9, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

Of the cases, here is the racial breakdown, the state reported Thursday*:

• 2,064 — African American (37 percent)
• 1,540 — White (28 percent)
• 1,354 — Data not available (24 percent)
• 449 — Other (8 percent)
• 122 — Asian (2 percent)

*Editor's note: The total is 5,529, which is the number of cases reported Wednesday.

"We're beginning notice the shocking numbers in the black community," President and CEO of the NAACP Derrick Johnson said at a news conference Tuesday after reviewing preliminary data about the virus. Johnson cited Detroit, where he said African Americans make up 14 percent of the population but account for 33 percent of coronavirus cases and 41 percent of coronavirus deaths.

"These numbers expose the lack of equity and showcase the deficits that we’ve all known about," Johnson said, "but when you put an accelerant like coronavirus in the midst, African Americans are disproportionately impacted."

Maryland's population is 58.8 percent white, 30.9 percent black, 6.7 percent Asian and 3.6 percent other, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Of 124 who have died in Maryland from the coronavirus, 55 were black, representing more than 44 percent of the state's total coronavirus deaths*:

• 55 — African American (44 percent)
• 39 — White (31 percent)
• 21 — Data not available (17 percent)
• 6 — Asian (5 percent)
• 3 — Other (2 percent)

* Editor's note: This is the racial breakdown among the 124 Marylanders who have died from coronavirus, which was the number of deaths reported Wednesday. The numbers above total 99 percent.

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"Black Americans have a higher risk of asthma, heart disease, diabetes and hypertension," Brown said following the release of Maryland's demographic data Thursday. "And Black Americans face implicit racial bias in our health care system — from diagnosis to treatment and medical outcomes. We’ve seen decades-old disparities inflamed by the coronavirus crisis. Lack of access to health care, affordable housing and financial stability have left low income, Black and Brown families vulnerable to this deadly disease."

More information was also released about the ages of those who have died in Maryland from the new coronavirus:

Information published Thursday represents 75 percent of what is available, according to the governor, who ordered the health department two days earlier to release demographic data as soon as possible.

"I want to caution that 90 percent of the testing is being done by doctors and hospitals who are sending tests to private labs outside of the state, which have not been keeping such data," Hogan said, "so we do anticipate having significant gaps in the initial data that will be available to us."

Related:

• Lawmakers: FEMA Must Move More Medical Supplies to MD, VA, DC
• Health Expert Projects Peak For Virus In MD, Which Hogan Declares 'Hot Spot'
• Almost 700 Marylanders Warned For Violating Stay-At-Home Order