809 new cases day before virus anniversary
On the final day of the coronavirus pandemic’s first full year in Maryland, here’s where the state’s virus-related metrics stood Thursday.
Cases: Maryland health officials reported 809 new infections Thursday morning, bringing the total count of confirmed infections in the state to 384,765. Friday marks the one-year anniversary of Maryland’s first confirmed cases. Gov. Larry Hogan has officially recognized Friday as COVID-19 Day of Remembrance. Maryland has reported more than 1,000 new cases only once since Feb. 14. It had exceeded that threshold every day from Nov. 5 to Feb. 2.
Deaths: Three more Marylanders have died of the coronavirus or its effects, the state reported. Although deaths are not necessarily reported on the date they occur, Thursday’s reported total is the state’s lowest in more than four months and marks the first time since Nov. 16 the figure has been in single digits. In all, 7,740 residents with confirmed infections of COVID-19 have died, according to state date.
Hospitalizations: There are 856 patients in Maryland’s hospitals Thursday facing the effects of COVID-19, seven fewer than the day before. Of those, 216 cases require intensive care, down a dozen from Wednesday.
Vaccinations: Another 26,000 Marylanders received their first doses of coronavirus vaccine Wednesday, meaning 15.3% of the state’s 6 million-plus residents are at least partially vaccinated. About 8.4% of Marylanders are fully vaccinated, having received both of the shots needed for best protection. The state has administered more 1.4 million doses in all, with the 41,671 given Thursday ranking as Maryland’s third most for a single day.
Vaccines by age: Maryland has given at least one dose of vaccine to 43.8% of its 65-and-older population, all of whom are eligible to be vaccinated under the state’s plan.
Vaccines by race and ethnicity: The gap in doses given to white residents compared to Black residents has declined marginally in recent days. During the initial distribution of vaccines, white Marylanders received more than four doses for every dose given to Black residents. That ratio narrowed to 3.9-to-1 on
Thursday.
Vaccines by county: Baltimore City has spent most of the allocation process ahead of only Prince George’s and Charles counties in the percentage of population that has received at least one vaccination, but on Thursday, the city surpassed Somerset County and now has the fourth-lowest percentage of the state’s 24 jurisdictions. Prince George’s County, which has had more cases of the virus than any other jurisdictions, still ranks last in percentage of partial vaccinations and percentage of full vaccinations.
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, declined to 3.24% Thursday, from 3.28% Wednesday.