More than half of Maryland’s jurisdictions are now in the coronavirus “red zone” of positivity and case rates, according to a White House task force report.
Red zones have more than 100 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents and positivity rates above 10%. The generally recommended positivity rate is 5%.
Of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions, those in the red zone are Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Kent, Prince George’s and Washington counties and Baltimore City.
The report also shows that in the most recent week of available statistics, Maryland has more COVID-19-related hospitalizations per 100 beds than every state other than Michigan, now considered the nation’s coronavirus epicenter, Patch.com reported.
Dr. David Bishai, Harford County’s health officer, said his county has the highest positivity rate in Maryland, largely because of increasing cases among youths.
“The group between age 15 and 24 is really driving this,” Bishai said, Patch reported.
As of Thursday, Maryland has reported roughly 432,000 coronavirus cases and more than 8,300 deaths since the start of the pandemic, according to a state-run dashboard.