Coronavirus In Montgomery County: Fourth Resident Tests Positive

SILVER SPRING, MD — Two more people — including a Montgomery County resident — have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the state's total to five confirmed cases, according to Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.

State officials identified the Montgomery County patient as a man in his 60s. They say he contracted the virus while traveling overseas and was briefly hospitalized.

The other patient, a Harford County resident in her 80s, also contracted the virus while traveling overseas, Hogan's office said, and is still in the hospital.

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As of Monday morning, Maryland has five confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) — a disease that emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 and has since infected more than 109,000 people worldwide.

The first positive test results in Maryland were reported Thursday, and that included three Montgomery County residents who had traveled overseas on an Egyptian cruise on the Nile River.

Hogan's office said the state's newest cases are not connected to the previous positive cases and "there appear to be no major concerns over exposure risk to the community."

Hogan said he would hold a news conference to update Marylanders on the status of new coronavirus in the state at 3:30 p.m. on Monday.

"We continue to hope for the best, and actively plan for the worst," Hogan said. "I encourage all Marylanders to remain calm, but to take this seriously and continue to stay informed."

COVID-19 Fast Facts

• Coronavirus refers to a family of different viruses. For instance, the common cold is a coronavirus. So is SARS. COVID-19, however, is a novel strain.
• According to the World Health Organization, coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning that they can spread between people and animals.
  • Symptoms include a fever, coughing, and shortness of breath.
• COVID-19 can spread between people who are about 6 feet apart from each other and through respiratory droplets (produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes), the CDC says.
• An infected person may not experience symptoms for up to 14 days.
• To combat infection, frequently wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, sanitize frequently touched surfaces and objects, and stay home from work or school if you're feeling ill

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