As 29 Hospitals In MD Near Capacity, Hogan Addresses Surge
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MARYLAND — Gov. Larry Hogan outlined additional statewide enforcement measures to fight the COVID-19 surge during a briefing Monday. A new unit will form under Maryland State Police to address compliance with state health regulations, Hogan said.
His briefing came a week after the state's health department gave orders to restrict visitation at hospitals to prepare for a surge in coronavirus patients and three days after Hogan's order took effect forcing restaurants and bars to close by 10 p.m. except for carryout and delivery to prevent the virus from spreading.
"There is widespread community transmission in every corner of our state," Hogan said at a news conference Monday afternoon, noting Maryland has reported at least 1,000 cases of the virus each day for the past 19 days.
"Following the public health directives is the only way we will be able to stop this virus, keep Maryland open for business, and keep hospitals from overflowing," Hogan said. "Especially now, it is critically important that we stay vigilant in this fight."
UPDATE: MD Governor Aims To Curb Spread With COVID Police
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr., Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt, Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Jerry Jones and Restaurant Association of Maryland President/CEO Marshall Weston joined Hogan at Monday's news conference.
Since Hogan addressed the state last Tuesday to announce the new measures, an additional 230 people have been hospitalized due to the coronavirus. Officials say 1,276 coronavirus patients are in Maryland hospitals as of Monday, including 39 people admitted in the past 24 hours.
Last week, the governor said western Maryland hospitals were at capacity and 19 hospitals around the state were operating at 90 percent capacity or more. As of Monday, he said that number had climbed to 29 hospitals around the state.
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The governor addressed the state at a 4 p.m. news conference with information about the coronavirus surge. Watch on his Twitter, Facebook or YouTube accounts.
He said that Maryland State Police would help enforce compliance, particularly with coronavirus regulations, through a new high-visibility unit that would partner with local jurisdictions.
This is what the data looked like for coronavirus in Maryland last Tuesday when Hogan addressed the state compared with Monday, when he announced new enforcement initiatives:
MONDAY, Nov. 23
Total Cases: 183,797
Hospitalizations: 1,276
ICU Patients: 289
Deaths: 4,293
Positivity: 6.88 percent
Case Rate: 37.53 per 100,000
TUESDAY, Nov. 17
Total Cases: 169,805
Hospitalizations: 1,046
ICU Patients: 255
Deaths: 4,186
Positivity: 6.85 percent
Case Rate: 26.41 per 100,000
That means nearly 14,000 new cases have been confirmed; 230 people have been hospitalized; 34 people have been admitted to the ICU; and 107 people have died from COVID-19 in Maryland since Tuesday, based on data from the Maryland Department of Health.
The positivity rate has increased slightly, by 0.03 percent, and the case rate has increased by 11.12 per 100,000 since Tuesday.
Between last Tuesday's news briefing and Monday's, state health officials also set two records:
Highest volume of COVID test results reported in a single-day period: 51,510 test results were reported Saturday, Nov. 21.
Largest single-day increase in new cases of the virus, with 2,910 results reported Thursday, Nov. 19.
Nearly 300 people in Maryland have died from COVID-19 since the beginning of the month, according to data released Monday from the Maryland Department of Health. Officials say 4,293 Marylanders have died of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, since the beginning of the pandemic in March. In the last day, officials said 14 virus-related deaths were reported.
Here is a look at the data on coronavirus in Maryland for Monday, Nov. 23:
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This article originally appeared on the Baltimore Patch
