MD Coronavirus: Hospitalizations, Deaths Slow Day To Day

MARYLAND — In Maryland, 14,775 people have tested positive for the new coronavirus, an increase of 582 in the past day, state health officials reported Wednesday morning. So far, 631 people have died from the virus in Maryland, up 47 from the day before, when the death toll was 584. Lab results are pending for 67 others who officials suspect died from the virus.

In the past day, 51 people were released from isolation and are among the 981 Marylanders who have recovered from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus.

For the state to reopen, Gov. Larry Hogan has said Maryland needs 14 days of numbers trending down as far as hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) and acute care patients and deaths.

Acute care patients, hospitalizations and deaths are down Wednesday compared with the previous day. ICU patients increased by one. The state just began releasing these types of data points Tuesday, and numbers from one 24-hour period cannot be taken as an overall sign, officials said.

"The number of cases we’re not looking at so much because as we dramatically increase the number of tests, our tests are going up rapidly every day," Hogan said at an April 17 news conference. "We’re really keeping an eye on how many people are going into the hospital, how many people are moving from the hospital into an acute or intensive care bed, and then how many people we’re losing to the disease. So those things, all three of those categories, have to be in a downward direction for 14 straight days before you can even consider the reopening of anything — and that’s according to the federal guidelines — for any state in America."

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Here are the day-to-day changes from Tuesday to Wednesday, according to state data:

• Hospitalizations: 1,433 —> 1,432
• Acute care: 907 —> 905
• Deaths: 584 —> 631 (increase of 47, down from previous day-to-day increase of 68)
• Intensive care: 526 —> 527

This week Hogan anticipates releasing his plan for reopening the state, called "Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery," which he said would require an increase in testing capacity, expanding hospital surge capacity, developing a robust contact tracing operation and ramping up personal protective equipment supplies.

Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan announced earlier this week they had secured 500,000 test kits from South Korea to allow more people to get tested. The governor said he would like the state to perform 20,000 tests a day, if possible.

So far, the Maryland Department of Health is reporting 61,754 negative tests for the virus.

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Jurisdiction

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Age And Gender

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Race And Ethnicity

To slow the transmission of the virus, face coverings are now required in retail establishments and on public transportation in Maryland. Those who are younger than 9 years old don't have to wear them in retail environments but are encouraged to do so if they are older than 2.

The Maryland Department of Health and local health departments have opened testing sites at these locations, which require a doctor's order and an appointment:

• Annapolis — Parole Health Center
• Anne Arundel County — Glen Burnie VEIP Station
• Baltimore City — Pimlico Race Course
• Baltimore City — Rawlings Conservatory at Druid Hill Park
• Baltimore County — Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium
• Charles County — Waldorf VEIP Station
• Harford County — Forest Hill VEIP Station
• Montgomery County — White Oak VEIP Station
• Prince George's County — FedEx Field in Landover

Two sites above were added this week — the Parole walk-up testing initiative opened Monday, while the Rawlings Conservatory site, which also allows walk-up testing, was announced Tuesday.

Related:

• Barbershops, Salons Can Reopen For Essential Workers: MD Governor
• Nurse At Randallstown Facility Dies From Coronavirus: Report
• Coronavirus: Hogan Asked To Address Racial Disparities
• 4 Ways To Make Face Masks As New MD Order Takes Effect
• MD Buys 500K Coronavirus Tests From South Korea: Hogan