Hogan: Maryland In A 'Holding Pattern' On Reopening; Rise In COVID-19 Cases Due To More Testing
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Governor Larry Hogan said national labs must do a faster job of processing coronavirus tests as delays are leaving some people in limbo about their status for weeks.
The governor told CNN Monday night that Baltimore City is seeing a rise in cases "mainly because they weren't doing enough testing and now they are."
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES:
- Coronavirus Resources: How To Get Help In Maryland
- TIMELINE: Coronavirus In Maryland, Tracking The Spread
- Latest coronavirus stories from WJZ
- Latest CDC Guidelines
At a press conference last week, city health commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa disputed that claim.
"We are seeing the number of new cases increase at a rate higher than what we would expect from an increase in testing capacity alone, and have seen an increase for multiple days in a row," she said.
Over the weekend, the Maryland Public Interest Research Group wrote a letter to Hogan, signed by hundreds in the healthcare community, asking him to "shut down, start over and do it right."
>>WJZ has a new news app! Download it now!<<
The governor has resisted closing down bars and indoor dining statewide.
"We're in a holding pattern. We have been for the past 30 days," Hogan told CNN. "We're continuing to pause. We're not ready to reopen anything further. Twenty-two states are now rolling things back that they had already reopened. We're not in that position either."
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.
