Daily case count dips below 500; 26 deaths

As Maryland continues to vaccinate more residents each day, here’s where the state’s coronavirus-related metrics stand as of Tuesday morning.

Cases

Maryland reported 468 new infections Tuesday, the first day with fewer than 500 new cases since Oct. 21 and the fewest since Oct. 6. Cases can be confirmed through tests for COVID-19, and testing is down around the country, including in Maryland, where the number of test results reported declined by more than 30% from January to February. Tuesday’s new cases were discovered among about 11,000 test results, Maryland’s second-lowest daily total since Sept. 8.

Tuesday’s new cases brought the total count of confirmed infections in the state to 383,170. Friday will mark the one-year anniversary of Maryland’s first confirmed cases.

Deaths

State health officials reported 26 more Marylanders have died from the coronavirus or its effects. In all, 7,723 residents with confirmed infections of COVID-19 have died.

Of the state’s confirmed cases, about one in 50 have resulted in death. Among residents older than 60 who have been infected, about one in 11 have died.

Hospitalizations

There are 896 patients in Maryland’s hospitals Tuesday due to COVID-19, four fewer than Monday. Of those, 232 cases require intensive care, down from 235 the day before.

Vaccinations

Nearly 20,000 Marylanders received their first doses of coronavirus vaccine Monday, meaning 14.5% of the state’s 6 million-plus residents are at least partially vaccinated. About 8% are fully vaccinated, meaning they have received both of the shots of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines needed for best protection.

The state has administered 1.36 million doses in all. Maryland is averaging 35,730 doses administer per day over the past week, the highest that figure has been.

Vaccines by age: Although Marylanders older than 60 have accounted for about eight of every nine virus-related deaths in that state, that population represents about 50% of the state’s residents who are fully vaccinated.

Vaccines by race and ethnicity: About 64% of residents who have received at least one dose of vaccine are white, a race representing 59% of the state’s overall population. Black residents (31% of the population) and Latino residents (11%) have accounted for 17% and 4%, respectively, of those who have been partly or fully vaccinated.

Vaccines by county: Prince George’s County, which has the second-largest population of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions, is the only one that has yet to have vaccinated at least 10% of its population. Six counties — Kent, Worchester, Talbot, Wicomico, St. Mary’s and Allegany — already have fully vaccinated at least a tenth of their populations.

Positivity rate

The state’s seven-day testing positivity rate, which effectively measures the percentage of tests that return positive results in a weeklong span, stood at 3.35% Tuesday, down from 3.52% Monday.

The metric is at its lowest point since late October, right before it began to climb and a surge of cases in the state brought the positivity rate as high as 9.47% in early January.

Dan Rodricks’ Jan. 12 column incorrectly reported the age of the Patricia and Arthur Modell Performing Arts Center at The Lyric. It is 127 years old. The Baltimore Sun regrets the error.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has named a deputy mayor for community and economic development.

Ted Carter, who is the chief economic development and business officer for Cuyahoga County, Ohio, which includes Cleveland, has been tapped by Scott to lead Baltimore’s community and economic development arm. Carter previously worked for the U.S. Treasury Department in Democratic President Bill Clinton’s administration.

“Ted has a proven track record of collaborative leadership for smarter community development, economic growth and results — vital to helping our communities recover and thrive,” the Democratic mayor said Tuesday in a news release. “He brings a wealth of experience and genuine commitment to social and economic equity.”

As deputy mayor, Carter will oversee the city’s housing, planning, workforce and community development efforts.

He is due to begin work for the city in April.

Carter earned an annual salary of $214,000 in Cuyahoga County, according to cleveland.com. He will be paid $210,000 in Baltimore, Scott’s spokeswoman said Tuesday.

In Cuyahoga, which is Ohio’s second largest county, Carter manages a five-year economic development plan and leads the county’s economic and workforce development efforts, according to the news release. He also serves as co-chair of the county’s equity commission, which recently submitted its first equity report, the release stated.

From 1997 to 2000, Carter served as deputy assistant secretary for management operations for the Clinton Treasury Department. He also worked on Clinton’s reelection campaign. Before going to Ohio, Carter worked for the city of Jacksonville, Florida, and for several private sector organizations, according to his LinkedIn page.

Carter will join Scott’s cabinet, which he has been filling out since taking office in December. The position does not require City Council confirmation.