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Baltimore Among Cities Projected To See COVID-19 Resurgence, New Models Say

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore is listed among cities projected to see a coronavirus resurgence, according to new projections from one group of researchers.

PolicyLab, a thinktank at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), says Baltimore could become a COVID-19 hotspot in the coming weeks.

According to their model's new four-week forecast, there's a heightened risk for growing cases in Baltimore and Baltimore County as well as the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC. It also shows a resurgence of cases is possible in Boston, Philadelphia and New York City as well as parts of the Midwest.

Baltimore City Projections
Baltimore City COVID-19 projections. Credit: Policy Lab
CHOP Projections
Baltimore County COVID-19 projections. Credit: Policy Lab

"Maryland and Virginia may have some sensible restrictions on the books, but if you look past the window dressing, you'll see the cracks in their strategy, researchers wrote in their latest report. "Maryland has restrictions in place related to capacity and social distancing, but there is no specific limit on gathering sizes and most businesses are open."

According to an article published by the Daily Beast, keeping the transmission rate low in Baltimore city and county could be key to keep case numbers down.

Baltimore city officials, as well as state health officials, have linked a large number of cases to people attending family gatherings and summer cookouts in recent weeks.

They've asked people to refrain from these types of events where COVID-19 cases spread easily.

Baltimore City Mayor Jack Young recently reopened indoor dining at 25% capacity after closing it for two weeks due to a spike in cases in July.

Maryland also recently expanded its mask requirement so that people must have a mask on when indoors at businesses as well as outdoors when social distancing isn't possible.

Masks are also now required on Ocean City's boardwalk.

Coronavirus In Maryland: Hospitalizations Down As 700+ New Cases Reported Bringing Total Past 98K

Baltimore City has a total of 13,063 coronavirus cases as of Thursday morning and 420 reported deaths, while Baltimore County has a total of 13,593 cases and 550 deaths.

The PolicyLab is often used by the White House Coronavirus Task Force to see trends.

See PolicyLab's latest projections here.

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.

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