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

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- With 776 new coronavirus cases reported in Maryland Thursday, the total number of COVID-19 cases reported during the pandemic is now past 98,000.

State officials report a total of 98,160 confirmed cases in Maryland as hospitalizations are down by 18 to 470. Of those hospitalized, 111 patients are in the ICU.

LATEST: Hospitalizations, ICU Are Down As COVID-19 Cases Totals Near 99K

The statewide positivity rate is also down from 3.61% to 3.49%.

Nine more Marylanders have died from the virus since Wednesday, bringing the total deaths to 3,483 in the state.

More than 1.53 million coronavirus tests have been administered, of which more then 996,000 came back negative.

Maryland is reporting an average of nine coronavirus deaths a day in the month of August, slightly less than last month.

But doctors said the public should not let its guard down on the virus.

As Maryland reported its fourth highest day of testing volume, Gov. Hogan announced Arkansas and Rhode Island are the latest states to join Maryland and others in an interstate testing compact in the absence of a national plan.

Making sure people have ample support and access to tests. These are things that are good to have everywhere," said Dr. Neil Roy, Sinai Hospital Emergency Chair. 

Dr. Roy said the public needs to remain vigilant.

"Young people are still dying fairly regularly. I mean, just a 45-year-old died a few weeks ago in one of our ERs who was young and healthy," Dr. Roy said. 

Public health officials warn of an incoming flu season that could compound problems.

 "This could be the worst fall from a public health perspective, we've ever had," said Dr. Robert Redfield, CDC Director. 

Infections in Worcester County- home of Ocean City- increased by more than 36 percent in the past two weeks, the highest statewide.

In the past two weeks, Essex cases spiked, the most of Maryland's top ZIP codes.

Infections in 21221 jumped nearly 30 percent.

Doctors argue data suggests transmission is still strong.

 "That usually happens from being out and about, socializing, not wearing masks, not hand-washing, and not distancing," Dr. Roy said. 

He said the mortality rate has remained high.

"In March, when the talk of coronavirus first came out, the fear of coronavirus was here. The threat was probably here (slightly lower). Now, I think it's flipped. People seem to be less afraid than they should be because the threat is just as high, if not higher," Dr. Roy said. 

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's PolicyLab warned this week of the risk this fall shifting back north, to the I-95 corridor between Virginia and Boston, and urged states to impose limits on gatherings.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: 

Here's a breakdown of the numbers:

By County

County Cases Deaths
Allegany 312 (18)
Anne Arundel 7,528 (218) 10*
Baltimore City 13,063 (420) 15*
Baltimore County 13,593 (550) 22*
Calvert 724 (27) 1*
Caroline 455 (3)
Carroll 1,583 (115) 3*
Cecil 715 (29) 1*
Charles 2,102 (90) 2*
Dorchester 393 (5)
Frederick 3,154 (114) 7*
Garrett 54
Harford 2,055 (66) 3*
Howard 3,967 (106) 6*
Kent 242 (22) 1*
Montgomery 18,752 (768) 39*
Prince George's 24,301 (743) 23*
Queen Anne's 446 (25) 1*
St. Mary's 1,022 (52)
Somerset 141 (3)
Talbot 411 (4)
Washington 1,066 (31)
Wicomico 1,374 (45)
Worcester 707 (19) 1*
Data not available (10) 2*

By Age Range and Gender

Age/Gender Cases Deaths
0-9 3,417
10-19 6,514 (1)
20-29 17,333 (21) 1*
30-39 18,428 (46) 5*
40-49 16,395 (113) 3*
50-59 14,597 (277) 15*
60-69 10,007 (570) 12*
70-79 6,163 (858) 24*
80+ 5,306 (1,589) 75*
Data not available (8) 2*
Female 51,750 (1,712) 71*
Male 46,410 (1,771) 66*

By Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Cases Deaths
African-American (NH) 31,067 (1,430) 52*
Asian (NH) 1,791 (129) 6*
White (NH) 21,624 (1,472) 67*
Hispanic 24,333 (405) 10*
Other (NH) 4,317 (37)
Data not available 15,028 (10) 2*

 

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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