COVID-19 In Maryland: 374 Hospitalized As Positivity Rate Dips To Roughly 2%
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Fewer than 400 Marylanders are hospitalized with COVID-19 as hospitalizations and the statewide positivity rate continue to fade, according to data released Wednesday by the Maryland Department of Health.
Hospitalizations fell by 17 since Tuesday, bringing the number of hospitalizations to 374. Of those patients, 300 are adults in acute care and another 66 are in intensive care. Five more are children in acute care and three are children in the ICU.
The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen by nearly 90% from a peak of nearly 3,500 in January.
Maryland added 405 COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, bringing the total of confirmed cases statewide to 1,003,039 since the pandemic began. A small fraction of those are cases of reinfection dating back to September.
The seven-day positivity rate for COVID-19 has fallen to 2.06%, a 0.13% decrease and 93% drop compared to January's peak of nearly 30%.
The statewide death toll now stands at 13,883, up 11 since Tuesday.
With Maryland's health metrics showing significant improvement in recent weeks, state and local officials have begun rolling back safety measures that were put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The Maryland State Board of Education voted Tuesday to rescind its mask mandate for public schools, leaving it up to local school districts -- a decision that was approved by a Maryland General Assembly panel.
The state continues to encourage residents to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, even offering a $2 million lottery as an incentive for boosters.
Maryland has administered 11,377,591 doses of the vaccine, and 4,488,194 Marylanders are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.