Maryland reports 1,714 new coronavirus cases, hospitalizations top 800

With surging hospitalizations and a rising positivity rate, Maryland reported 1,714 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, the third-highest single day total so far during the pandemic.

The state has now seen eight consecutive days with at least 1,000 virus cases, extending a pandemic record for the third straight day. The state also reported 16 new deaths, its highest daily total since late July.

.

Hospitalizations, which have surged in recent weeks, were up 44 from Tuesday to 805.Hospitalizations are still well below their pandemic high of more than 1,700 in late April. As a whole, the country hit a record high in coronavirus hospitalizations Tuesday.

Among those hospitalized, 193 needed intensive care, up from 176 Tuesday. Intensive care hospitalizations have now nearly tripled since late September.

Hospitalizations and deaths can lag behind a spike in cases, as it can take weeks for patients' symptoms to worsen and for some of them to die.

The new numbers come a day after Gov. Larry Hogan said the state is entering “the danger zone” with the virus. He announced tightened virus-related regulations on restaurants Tuesday and a new travel advisory for states with high rates of infection. Maryland is now “strongly” recommending against indoor gatherings of more than 25 people.

The state has now reached a total of 158,423 virus cases and 4,100 deaths since March. Maryland has seen the 17th-most deaths and the 35th-most cases per capita among states thus far during the pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus resource center, based on the most recent data.

The state’s seven-day rolling positivity rate was 5.6% Wednesday, up from 5.24% Tuesday. Maryland’s positivity rate has spiked in recent weeks, as it was just 3% as of Oct. 22.

Hopkins, which calculates positivity rate differently than the state, reported Maryland’s positivity rate to be 4.21%.

___

(c)2020 The Baltimore Sun

Visit The Baltimore Sun at www.baltimoresun.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.