MARYLAND — After nine consecutive days of declining hospitalizations from the coronavirus, Maryland health officials reported Tuesday the number of people hospitalized with the virus has increased. The number still remains low comparatively; it is down more than 200 since four weeks ago.
Statewide 1,315 people are hospitalized with the virus as of Tuesday morning, an addition of 36 patients compared with the day before, according to the Maryland Department of Health. Admissions went up slightly on the intensive care unit day-to-day, where 520 patients were being treated for the virus Tuesday, compared with 517 people Monday.
Officials say 47,687 Marylanders have tested positive for the new coronavirus, an increase of 535 in the past day.
Find out what's happening in Bowiefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
In Maryland 206,800 people have tested negative for the virus, authorities said Tuesday morning, an addition of 4,375 since Monday.
Find out what's happening in Bowiefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The state's positivity rate for the coronavirus is 18.7 percent based on Tuesday's data.
Of the 4,910 new test results reported Tuesday, 535 were positive, meaning the positivity rate from this batch of test results was 10.9 percent.
Officials say 2,217 Marylanders have died from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus; lab results are pending for 116 others as of Tuesday.
Since the first cases of the virus were confirmed March 5 in Maryland, authorities report 8,179 people have been hospitalized due to the virus and 3,334 Marylanders have been released from isolation.
Baltimore County announced Friday it would begin testing residents without a doctor's order; however, people must call the county's COVID-19 hotline at 410-887-3816 to get an appointment.
State health officials have rolled out appointment-free testing at the Maryland State Fairgrounds and Clinton, Glen Burnie and Hyattsville VEIP stations.
Maryland has reportedly deployed teams to conduct universal testing for nursing home residents and staff as well as workers at the state's two poultry processing plants.
Symptoms of the new coronavirus can appear two to 14 days after exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which lists the following as possible indicators of the illness: fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, muscle pain, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.
Health officials say most people with the virus will experience mild symptoms and can recover at home. Older adults and people of any age with serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19, according to the CDC.
People should call 911 and seek immediate medical attention if they have trouble breathing, bluish lips or face, new confusion or inability to arouse and/or persistent pain or pressure in the chest.
