BALTIMORE — As hospitalizations statewide have surged, Maryland reported 1,667 new coronavirus cases Tuesday along with 32 deaths tied to COVID-19, the most reported in one day since mid-June.
Maryland has now reported 1,000 or more cases for 21 consecutive days and 2,000 or more cases for seven of the past 11 days, a daily total which hadn't been reached once before this stretch. It took only 20 days in November for Maryland to beat May's monthly case record of 31,036.
Maryland reported 1,341 people hospitalized with virus-related complications Tuesday, up from 1,276 Monday. Hospitalizations have nearly quadrupled since Oct. 4 when they were at 320 and are getting closer to a late April peak of just more than 1,700.
Among those reported hospitalized Tuesday, 314 needed intensive care, up from 289 Monday. ICU hospitalizations have more than doubled since the beginning of the month, when they were at 127.
Deaths and hospitalizations are metrics that can lag behind a surge in cases, as it can take weeks for some patients' symptoms to worsen and for some to die.
As of Monday's data, about one in 33 Marylanders have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and about one in five of those were diagnosed in November, according to a Baltimore Sun data analysis.
The new numbers come a day after Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, announced Maryland is stepping up enforcement of COVID-19-related restrictions ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
"What part don't you understand?" Hogan said Monday. "You wear the mask."
The new numbers bring the state to a total of 185,464 confirmed virus cases and 4,325 deaths since March.
The state's reported seven-day positivity rate was 6.6% Tuesday, down from 6.88% Monday. The positivity rate has more than doubled from a month ago, when it sat at 3.17% as of Oct. 24.
