Vaccine Milestones On Horizon, But Cases Climb In Anne Arundel

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — Nearly one-third of Anne Arundel County residents have gotten at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Almost one-fifth are fully immunized.

These developments come as inoculation shipments start to grow. President Joe Biden told states to expect larger allocations starting last Monday. Anne Arundel County's numbers and expanded eligibility reflect that increase.

Still, the positivity rate is the highest it has been since January, and hospitalizations spiked last week. The case rate is at its steepest point in two months, but its slight increase suggests that infections may soon level off.

Last week's 907 cases are up 35 from the week prior. It was the ninth straight week that Anne Arundel recorded less than 1,000 new infections. Before that, the county had clocked more than 1,000 new cases per week for about three consecutive months.

The virus also killed nine county residents last week, which is five more than the week before, the Maryland Department of Health said. Here's a look at where the numbers stand in Anne Arundel County.

Full Vaccinations

• Currently: 18.17 percent
• Trend: Up by 3.23 percentage points
• Rank: 15th out of the state's 24 jurisdictions
• Trend: Improved by one slot
• Comments: This was the most Anne Arundel County residents that have ever been vaccinated in a single week.

For more information on Anne Arundel County's vaccination plan, click here. To see when you'll be eligible for the inoculation, read Patch's explainer. Check out our how-to guide to learn how to sign up for the shot. Head to Patch's immunization page to keep up with Maryland's latest vaccine news.

At Least One Dose

• Currently: 31.4 percent
• Trend: Up by 3.59 percentage points

This is the percentage of residents who have gotten at least one dose of the inoculation. The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines both require two shots. The Johnson & Johnson immunization only has one injection.

Coronavirus Case Rate

• Currently: 22.37
• Trend: Up by .86
• Comments: Such a small increase suggests that the case rate may be starting to plateau. This was the sixth straight week that new infections rose, however. The case rate was even higher on Saturday when it reached 22.47. That was the highest since Feb. 5.
• Recent High: 22.47 on April 3
• Recent Low: 13.47 on Feb. 25
• Overall High: 64.99 on Jan. 12
• Overall Low: 3.53 on June 26, 2020

Hospitalizations

• Currently: 70
• Trend: Up by 19
• Comments: After a 17-patient drop two weeks ago, hospitalizations are back on the rise. This is the highest total since Feb. 19.
• Recent High: 168 on Jan. 8
• Recent Low: 39 on March 8
• Overall High: 172 on April 21, 2020
• Overall Low: 21 on Sept. 21, 2020

ICU Hospitalizations

• Currently: 11
• Trend: Down by 2
• Comments: This was the second straight week that ICU hospitalizations declined, but the total has oscillated over the last five weeks. It has not eclipsed 16 during this period.
• Recent High: 43 on Jan. 14
• Recent Low: 7 on Feb. 26
• Overall High: 49 on May 13, 2020
• Overall Low: 4 on Aug. 24, 2020

Positivity Rate

• Currently: 7.1 percent
• Trend: Up by .85 percentage points
• Comments: After a months-long decline, the positivity rate has climbed for five straight weeks. This is the highest percent positivity since Jan. 25.
• Recent High: 10.4 percent on Jan. 3
• Recent Low: 4.06 percent on Feb. 26
• Overall High: 28.16 percent on April 16, 2020
• Overall Low: 2.29 percent on Aug. 16, 2020

Total Cases And Deaths

Anne Arundel County's 39,578 coronavirus infections are the fifth most in the state. The virus is blamed for the death of 557 county residents.

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Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.