MD Breaks Coronavirus Hospitalization Record 2 Days In A Row

MARYLAND — Gov. Larry Hogan announced a series of economic relief measures Thursday afternoon to help Maryland businesses and residents as the state marks the second day in a row of hitting a record number of coronavirus-related hospitalizations.

“We are experiencing a post-Thanksgiving surge” in the spread of coronavirus, Hogan said Thursday, Dec. 10, two weeks after the holiday.

The Maryland Department of Health reports 1,720 coronavirus patients are in Maryland hospitals Thursday, breaking the previous day's all-time high of 1,715 people hospitalized.

“Today for the first time all 24 of our jurisdictions are in the red zone for case rates," Hogan said Thursday.

The coronavirus case rate in Maryland is 45.6 cases per 100,000 people, according to the Maryland Department of Health. One month ago, the state's case rate was 19.79.

When an area exceeds 25 new cases per 100,000 people, community spread is out of control and may require measures to curb the spread of the infection, according to the Harvard Global Health Institute.

The state has continued to "take constant actions to fight this virus from all directions," Hogan said, such as the following:

• On Nov. 17, when the case rate was 30.95 per 100,000, Hogan announced visitation restrictions at hospitals and nursing homes. He also closed bars and restaurants after 10 p.m. except for carryout and delivery and ordered nursing homes to expand their testing.
• On Nov. 10, Hogan restricted capacity at restaurants from 75 to 50 percent. State health officials advised against indoor gatherings of more than 25 and travel to certain states.

Leaders from Maryland's eight largest jurisdictions called for community members to avoid large gatherings during a news conference Wednesday as hospitals near capacity around the state.

"All of us are talking about further restrictions," Anne Arundel County Steuart Pittman said at the virtual briefing. He announced Thursday that Anne Arundel County was going to limit indoor and outdoor dining and close some venues.

Baltimore City will close indoor and outdoor dining, shutter theaters and reduce capacity limits at casinos and retailers effective at 5 p.m. Friday.

Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced Thursday the county will be shutting down indoor dining at 5 p.m. Wednesday, while outdoor dining capacity will be limited and so will retail establishments and casinos.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has proposed closing indoor dining and limiting capacities at large retailers, pending approval from the County Council.

The Food and Drug Administration's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee is meeting virtually Thursday to discuss Pfizer's request for emergency use authorization for its vaccine. The FDA could clear the vaccine within days of the briefing.

On Tuesday, Hogan addressed the coronavirus vaccine, reporting Maryland would likely see 155,000 doses starting next week.

Health care workers based in hospitals as well as nursing home staff and residents would be the first to receive the vaccine once it is available in Maryland, Deputy Health Secretary Jinlene Chan said at the governor's Tuesday news conference.

"Nearly half of our deaths have occurred in individuals in nursing homes, and we currently have 190 active outbreaks in nursing homes and over 130 in assisted living," Chan said.

Officials say 2,478 deaths from COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, have occurred in nursing homes in Maryland as of Wednesday, Dec. 9. Statewide, 4,850 people have died from COVID-19, meaning about 51 percent of the deaths have been in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

"Nursing homes cases remain higher than during the initial spring outbreak," Hogan said Tuesday.

Watch Hogan's COVID-19 update at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, on his Twitter, Facebook or YouTube accounts.

See Also:

• Hogan Calls Restrictions ‘Death Sentence,’ Adds MD Relief Money
• First MD Coronavirus Vaccines Could Arrive Next Week: Officials
• Baltimore City Closing Indoor And Outdoor Dining As COVID Spreads
• More Coronavirus Regulations Hit Prince George's County
• 'Our State Is In A Dangerous Place': MD Coronavirus Expert
• More Coronavirus Regulations Coming To Anne Arundel: Pittman
• Elrich Pushes For Tougher Restrictions Amid COVID-19 Surge

For the latest updates on the coronavirus in Maryland, get Patch news alerts.

Here is a look at Maryland's coronavirus data as of Thursday, Dec. 10: