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Maryland Adds Record 14,316 Cases As Hospitalizations Reach 2,122

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland added more than 14,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, setting a new single-day case increase record, while hospitalizations also reached a new peak.

Hospitalizations rose by 76, bringing the number of COVID-19 patients to a record 2,122, according to the health department, as emergency departments at hospitals throughout the state continue filling up.

The percentage of people testing positive rose to 20.63%, a 1.32% increase.

Deaths rose by 55 in the past day, meaning a total of 11,522 people in Maryland have now died as a result of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

State health department data show that cases went up by 14,316, raising the total to 700,533 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the outset of the pandemic.

Of those hospitalized, 1,724 are adults in adult care and 360 are adults in intensive care. There are 30 children in acute care, a 100-percent increase since Wednesday, and another eight are in the ICU.

Hospitals throughout the region have declared disasters and shifted to crisis standards of care, citing a surge in the number of COVID-19 patients they're treating.

To help hospitals deal with the recent surge, the Maryland Hospital Association is calling on Gov. Larry Hogan to declare a limited public health emergency.

The increase in positive tests comes as Maryland has ramped up its testing efforts.

Earlier this month, the state expanded testing at its Annapolis and Prince George's County sites to six days a week, and Hogan activated the Maryland National Guard to support those operations.

There are 4,259,763 Marylanders fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91.8% of adults have gotten at least one dose.

The state has administered 10,317,168 vaccine doses. Of those, 4,470,888 are first doses, 8,163 in the past 24 hours. Another 3,932.528 are second doses, 4,036 in the last day. The state has given out 1,586,517 booster doses, 23,037n the past day.

A total of 327,235 Marylanders have gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 173 over the last 24 hours.

While Hogan has said he does not anticipate issuing any new restrictions, local governments including Baltimore & Howard counties have issued indoor mask mandates to combat the spread of COVID-19.

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