Washington County's COVID cases up 11.4%; Maryland cases holding steady

Mike Stucka USA TODAY NETWORK
·3 min read

Maryland reported 11,483 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday, after reporting 11,161 new cases the previous week.

Maryland ranked 34th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. Across the country, 28 states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.

Washington County reported 273 new cases and four related deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, the county had reported 245 new cases and one death. During the pandemic, it has recorded 37,414 cases of the virus and 597 related deaths.

In Maryland, 61 people reportedly died of COVID-19 in the week ending Sunday. In the week before that, 35 people with the disease died.

A total of 1,179,405 people in Maryland have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, and 14,973 people have died from the disease, Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the United States 91,316,648 people have tested positive and 1,029,926 people have died.

Within Maryland, the worst weekly outbreaks on a per-person basis were in Allegany County with 327 cases per 100,000 per week; Prince George's County with 240; and Montgomery County with 228. The Centers for Disease Control says high levels of community transmission begin at 100 cases per 100,000 per week.

Adding the most new cases overall were Montgomery County, with 2,396 cases; Prince George's County, with 2,179 cases; and Baltimore County, with 1,194. Weekly case counts rose in 17 counties from the previous week. The worst increases from the prior week's pace were in Prince George's, Allegany and Charles counties.

A flower is placed on a portrait of fallen Lee County Sheriff's Sgt. Steven Mazzotta at the Beyond the Call of Duty-Ride to Remember trailer wall at the Lee County Sheriff's Office on Monday, July 4, 2022, in Florida. Mazzotta died of complications of COVID-19. The Officer Down Memorial Page says more than 600 law enforcement officers have died of COVID-19. The End of Watch Ride started in Spokane, Washington, on June 1 is traveling 79 days across the United States making tribute stops at hundreds of law enforcement agencies to honor fallen law enforcement officers.

In Pennsylvania, Franklin County reported 393 new cases and three deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 329 new cases and two deaths. During the pandemic, it has reported 43,743 cases and 714 deaths.

Fulton County, Pennsylvania, reported 36 cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 28 cases and zero deaths. It has reported 4,381 cases and 66 deaths amid the pandemic

In the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, Berkeley County reported 312 new cases and five deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 305 cases and one death. During the pandemic, Berkeley County has reported 39,209 cases and 316 deaths.

Jefferson County, West Virginia, reported 111 new cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 142 cases and zero deaths. During the pandemic, it has reported 15,928 cases and 137 deathsnew

Morgan County, West Virginia, reported 36 new cases and zero deaths in the latest week. A week earlier, it had reported 28 cases and zero deaths. Since the pandemic began, the county has reported 4,546 cases and 70 deaths.

Maryland's COVID-19 hospital admissions staying flat

USA TODAY analyzed federal hospital data as of Sunday, July 31. Likely COVID patients admitted in the state:

  • Last week: 1,667

  • The week before that: 1,636

  • Four weeks ago: 1,612

Likely COVID patients admitted in the nation:

  • Last week: 75,143

  • The week before that: 73,476

  • Four weeks ago: 63,312

Hospitals in 24 states reported more COVID-19 patients than a week earlier, while hospitals in 21 states had more COVID-19 patients in intensive-care beds. Hospitals in 30 states admitted more COVID-19 patients in the latest week than a week prior, the USA TODAY analysis of U.S. Health and Human Services data shows.

According to its website Monday, Meritus Medical Center had 11 patients with COVID-19, but none of them were in the intensive-care unit.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County reported 273 additional COVID-19 cases this week