Virus 'Beginning To Spread Rapidly' Among Those Under 35: Hogan

MARYLAND — Before Independence Day, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is asking residents to remember the coronavirus is not taking a day off. Whether people feel sick or not, they should keep their distance, particularly as one age group is seeing a rise in infections.

"Before we begin this holiday weekend, I want to again stress that the coronavirus is beginning to spread rapidly among young people, many of whom are asymptomatic but who could still infect their parents, grandparents and other more vulnerable people," Hogan said.

"Younger people seem to be acting and feeling as if they're bulletproof, and many of them unfortunately are ignoring the public health guidelines," Hogan said at Wednesday's Board of Public Works meeting. "The current infection rate among Marylanders under the age of 35 is now shockingly 52 percent higher than the rate among those 35 and older."

Last Friday, the governor alerted people that those under 35 years old were testing positive at a rate that was 34 percent higher than older age groups, consistent with a national trend of younger people getting infected and not having symptoms of the virus.

After new cases across America spiked by 80 percent in the last two weeks, Hogan said that Maryland's hospitalizations and the rate of those testing positive had been trending down.

Coronavirus-related hospitalizations in Maryland have dropped by 20, state health officials reported Thursday, following three days of minor increases this week that totaled 15 patients. Still, there are 441 people hospitalized with the virus in the state as of Thursday. One month ago, on June 2, there were 1,148 hospitalized with the virus in Maryland, according to a Patch analysis of state health data.

"This crisis is not behind us," Hogan said, despite the positive trends. He urged the public to follow guidance in place to protect their health and that of others.

"The Fourth of July celebrates the power of a small group of people banding together in the face of incredible challenges to overcome a common enemy for common good," Hogan said Wednesday in Annapolis. "Now as a nation, we're called to come together to meet another challenge of another generation."

The governor gave guidance that aligns with that issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent the virus from spreading.

"All Marylanders should continue practicing physical distancing whenever possible, wearing masks when in public and avoiding large gatherings," Hogan said. "Our long-term recovery can only be effective if we all continue exercising personal responsibility."

Federal health experts say hand-washing and staying home when sick are key.

See an interactive map of COVID-19 testing sites in Maryland.

In the past day, 550 people tested positive for the coronavirus in Maryland, where more than 10,000 negative test results were also reported Thursday.

The positivity rate is 4.76 percent on a rolling, seven-day average, according to state officials, which is an increase of 0.04 since Wednesday.

Coronavirus in Maryland: A Snapshot

Here is a look at Maryland's coronavirus numbers as of Thursday, July 2:

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Jurisdiction

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Age And Gender

Maryland Coronavirus Cases By Race And Ethnicity

Coronavirus In Group Living Facilities

Every Wednesday, the Maryland Department of Health reports the latest data from congregate living facilities. Here is the information as of Wednesday, July 1:

See Also:

• MD Governor Urges Caution As New Coronavirus Trend Is Reported
• 'Maryland Did Well' In Its Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic: Fauci