Coronavirus In Maryland: Hogan Could Make Decision This Week About Whether To Begin First Phase Of Reopening Plan
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Governor Larry Hogan said he will make a decision this week on whether to start the first phase of Maryland's reopening amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Maryland has reported 33,373 cases of the coronavirus as of Monday. While that's an increase of 786 cases from Sunday, the number of hospitalizations dropped by nearly 100 in 24 hours, the biggest drop since the pandemic began.
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Last week, Hogan said a quick reopening was not guaranteed.
"I'm not committing to it because the numbers could spike back up and we could say, 'Sorry, we're not moving forward,'" he said.
The state's Roadmap to Recovery plan includes a number of steps Hogan wants to see happen to slow the spread of the virus, including:
- Expanding COVID-19 testing capacity
- Increasing hospital search capability
- Increasing supply of Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Continue a robust contact tracing operation
Lawmakers in western Maryland have urged the governor to adopt a regional reopening strategy.
While the state's stay-at-home order remains in place, some "low-risk" activities like boating and fishing are being allowed.
The ZIP code with the most cases in the Baltimore area is 21224, encompassing Canton, Highlandtown, Patterson Park and parts of Dundalk. It ranks 8th in Maryland with 507 cases.
The southeast Baltimore ZIP code has ranked in the top ten zip codes for confirmed cases consistently since May 5.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
