COVID-19 In Maryland: More Than 1.1K New Cases Reported Sunday As Hospitalizations Continue To Decline
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland reported 1,124 new COVID-19 cases Sunday as hospitalizations and the positivity rate continues to decline, according to data released by the Maryland Department of Health.
There have now been a total of 964,556 confirmed cases statewide since the pandemic began.
With hospitalizations falling by 106, the number of COVID-19 patients in Maryland hospitals stands at 1,143. The statewide positivity rate has dipped to 6.16%, a 0.4% decrease since Saturday.
The statewide death toll rose by 33 in the last day, bringing the tally to 13,465 since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Maryland recently wrapped up a 30-day state of emergency issued by Gov. Larry Hogan to confront elevated hospitalizations and infections that forced hospitals statewide to pivot to crisis standards of care.
Over the past few weeks, Hogan also issued executive orders aimed at shoring up workforces in nursing homes, hospitals and emergency medical services.
Despite these efforts, the Maryland Hospital Association on Tuesday said that hospitals continue to struggle with staffing issues. That includes 3,900 nursing vacancies, a 50% increase since late August.
Bob Atlas, the organization's president and chief executive officer, said the MHA is appreciative of Gov. Hogan's efforts to address staffing shortages but he noted that more needs to be done.
"Unfortunately, the Governor's legislation and other proposed bills to address hospitals' workforce challenges will not become law before the 30-day public health emergency runs out this Friday," Atlas said.
Of those currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Maryland, 894 are adults in acute care and 234 are adults in intensive care. Twelve children are in acute care and three more are in the ICU, state data show.
There are 4,412,852 Marylanders fully vaccinated and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 94.9% of the state's adults have gotten at least one dose. When you factor in children age 5 and older, 89.3% of the population has gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.
The state has administered 11,129,174 million doses of the vaccine.
Of those, 4,650,709 are first doses, 2,272 in the last 24 hours. Another 4,080,078 are second doses, 3,296 in the past day. A total of 332,175 Marylanders have gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 175 in the past day.
The state has administered 2,065,613 boosters, 6,238 in the past 24 hours.
