Maryland’s two-week average of new coronavirus cases reaches pandemic high

Hospitalizations and cases continue to surge as Maryland reported 1,375 new coronavirus cases Monday and nine deaths tied to COVID-19, while the state’s positivity rate climbed above 5% for the first time since June.

The state’s two-week daily new case average has set a pandemic high of 1,038 after being in the low 600s just over two weeks ago.The previous high was set when the virus was peaking in May, at a two-week daily new case average of 1,031.

Maryland has now seen six consecutive days of 1,000 or more virus cases.

The state reported 707 people hospitalized with the virus Monday, up 52 from Sunday. Hospitalizations have spiked in recent weeks, rising from 446 hospitalizations as of Oct. 25 and 320 as of Oct. 4.

Among those hospitalized, 168 needed intensive care, up five from 163Sunday, continuing an uptick in ICU hospitalizations, which have more than doubled since 68 people needed intensive care as of Sept. 20.

The state’s seven-day positivity rate was 5.05% as of Monday, up from 4.62% Sunday. Monday was the first time the state’s positivity rate passed 5% since June, according to The Baltimore Sun’s coronavirus data.

Forty-four states, including Maryland, have seen case counts increase in the past week, according to data from Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus resource center. No states have seen cases fall in the past week and just six have seen cases stay level, according to Hopkins.

Research suggests colder weather in the fall and winter might allow the virus to spread more easily and experts and Gov. Larry Hogan have warned of “pandemic fatigue” with masks and distancing. The coming months may be “our worst time,” Hogan said Thursday.

The new numbers come after Pfizer said Monday that early data indicate its COVID-19 vaccine may be 90% effective in preventing the virus.

The new batch of data reported Monday brings the state to a total of 155,371 virus cases and 4,072 deaths. Maryland has seen the 17th-most deathsand the 35th-most cases per capita among states, according to data from Hopkins.

Hopkins' positivity rate, which is calculated differently than the state’s, was 3.89% as of Sunday’s data, up from 3.79% as of Saturday’s data.

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