County Tops 60K Total Recorded Cases; Positivity Rate Up Slightly

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County's total number of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic surpassed 60,000, according to data released Friday by the Maryland Department of Health.

Overnight, the county registered 258 new coronavirus infections, bringing its total to 60,040.

The death toll rose by 10 — the most in one day since Jan. 21, when there were 11 deaths recorded. The fatality count now sits at 1,290.

Health officials believe that another 44 people had the virus, but died before ever getting tested. For now, they are considered "probable deaths." They won't be added to the official fatality count until confirmatory lab tests are performed.

Montgomery County — which is home to roughly 1 million people — continues to have the highest number of deaths in the state. It also has the second-highest number of confirmed cases, after Prince George's County, which has 69,059, according to the latest figures.

Across Maryland, there have been 360,584 coronavirus cases, 7,109 confirmed deaths, and 178 "probable deaths." Of the 1,444 patients being hospitalized for the disease statewide, 341 are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Maryland's test positivity rate is 5.94 percent, according to health officials. In Montgomery County, it's 5.24 percent — up from 5.11 percent the day before.

According to the latest figures, Washington County has the highest positivity rate in Maryland, with 10.3 percent. To date, it has tested about 55 percent of its population.

Here's how Montgomery County stacks up against Washington County and the rest of the state: