Maryland COVID-19 Cases Surge As New Restrictions Take Effect And Businesses Fight To Stay Afloat
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Governor Larry Hogan made the rounds on cable news and sounded the alarm as cases of the coronavirus surged in Maryland and new restrictions went into effect Friday night.
"It's spiking out of control all across the country," he told FOX News. "We're at kind of the worst part of the health crisis," Hogan said on CNBC.
The Maryland Department of Health recorded 2,353 new infections. That is the second most ever reported in a single day. Deaths are at their highest level since June.
25 more people died between Thursday and Friday in the state.
The positivity rate, although down slightly, remains above seven percent. Baltimore City alone has recorded a 304 percent increase in cases in the past four weeks.
Health officials are concerned about increasing spread from holiday gatherings.
WJZ caught up with Melissa Doughty as she shopped for a smaller Thanksgiving this year.
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"I am concerned. My entire family is immunocompromised so we are taking extra precautions," she said.
Several new restrictions went into effect Friday night statewide.
Bars and restaurants must close between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. There are exceptions for carryout and delivery.
Retail establishments and religious facilities are limited to 50 percent capacity. No fans are allowed at stadiums and racetracks.
Some counties have gone beyond the statewide limits: Anne Arundel County is restricting restaurants to 25 percent capacity for indoor dining.
The governor defended the rollbacks as necessary.
"Well, look, you're never going to make everybody happy. These are terrible decisions. It's a choice between a bad choice and a bad choice," Hogan told FOX News. "...There's a few on one side who think we're not doing enough. There are a few on the other side who think we're doing too much. I don't really care what people think. We're just making decisions based on all the best advice and we're hoping to get it right."
Mike O'Halloran, who advocates for small businesses as the Maryland chair of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), said the added restrictions could put some out of business for good.
"The restrictions are certainly going to hurt. As I said earlier in the week when the announcement was first made, it is going to be a tough pill to swallow for small business owners," O'Halloran said. "...A lot of these Main Street restaurants don't have access to outdoor dining. It's really going to hurt an industry that's hanging on by a thread."
He said there is an urgent need for federal stimulus and praised the resilience of Maryland small businesses and urged people to "shop small" to keep them afloat.
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.
