COVID-19 In Maryland: Positivity Rate Falls Below 3% For The 1st Time Since November
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland's COVID-19 positivity rate has fallen below the 3% mark for the first time in nearly four months, according to data released Tuesday by the Maryland Department of Health.
The seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate dipped to 2.92%, a 92% decrease from last month's peak of nearly 30%, state data show. The last time the statewide positivity rate was this low was on Nov. 6 when it was 2.93%.
Hospitalizations have risen slightly to 540, an increase of 17 patients since Sunday's tally. That's down 84% compared to Jan. 11's peak of nearly 3,500 hospitalizations.
Maryland added 383 more COVID-19 cases, bringing the total of confirmed cases statewide to 998,888 since the pandemic began. Its case rate remains the lowest in the country, according to data compiled by CovidActNow.org.
As Maryland's key health metrics continue to show signs of improvement, state and local officials have begun rolling back safety measures that were put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Masks are no longer required inside state buildings and facilities. The state Board of Education also voted Tuesday to rescind its mask mandate for public schools.
The statewide death toll now stands at 13,786 after increasing by 28 since Sunday.
Maryland recently emerged from a 30-day state of emergency issued by Hogan in response to elevated hospitalizations and infections that pushed many hospitals to capacity levels. Yet healthcare leaders say hospitals still face nursing shortages.
Of those currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Maryland, 427 are adults in acute care and 104 are adults in intensive care. Six children are in acute care and three are in the ICU.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 95% of Maryland's adult population has gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 90% of Marylanders ages 5 and up have gotten a shot.
There are 4,469,048 Marylanders fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Maryland has administered 11,310,981 million doses of the vaccine. Of those, 4,697,825 are first doses and 4,134,697 are second doses. A total of 334,351 Marylanders have gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The state has administered a total of 2,144,108 boosters.
State officials continue to encourage Marylanders to get their booster shots. As an incentive, the state has rolled out a $2 million lottery.