The has been a lot of talk about the rising COVID-19 numbers recently on the news. Looking at the data reported by the Maryland Department of Health yesterday: There were 244 new COVID-19 cases across the state reported on July 21st. This is the highest number of new cases in a day since May 30th (249 reported new COVID-19 cases reported on that date). Below is a chart outlining the daily new cases since May 30th:

Date	Total Cases	New Cases
2021/05/30 14:00:00+00	459777	249
2021/05/31 14:00:00+00	459894	117
2021/06/01 14:00:00+00	459995	101
2021/06/02 14:00:00+00	460060	65
2021/06/03 14:00:00+00	460194	134
2021/06/04 14:00:00+00	460339	145
2021/06/05 14:00:00+00	460471	132
2021/06/06 14:00:00+00	460575	104
2021/06/07 14:00:00+00	460659	84
2021/06/08 14:00:00+00	460737	78
2021/06/09 14:00:00+00	460863	126
2021/06/10 14:00:00+00	460984	121
2021/06/11 14:00:00+00	461097	113
2021/06/12 14:00:00+00	461183	86
2021/06/13 14:00:00+00	461265	82
2021/06/14 14:00:00+00	461325	60
2021/06/15 14:00:00+00	461392	67
2021/06/16 14:00:00+00	461470	78
2021/06/17 14:00:00+00	461549	79
2021/06/18 14:00:00+00	461635	86
2021/06/19 14:00:00+00	461697	62
2021/06/20 14:00:00+00	461739	42
2021/06/21 14:00:00+00	461779	40
2021/06/22 14:00:00+00	461828	49
2021/06/23 14:00:00+00	461887	59
2021/06/24 14:00:00+00	461953	66
2021/06/25 14:00:00+00	462017	64
2021/06/26 14:00:00+00	462078	61
2021/06/27 14:00:00+00	462144	66
2021/06/28 14:00:00+00	462181	37
2021/06/29 14:00:00+00	462217	36
2021/06/30 14:00:00+00	462279	62
2021/07/01 14:00:00+00	462354	75
2021/07/02 14:00:00+00	462439	85
2021/07/03 14:00:00+00	462535	96
2021/07/04 14:00:00+00	462596	61
2021/07/05 14:00:00+00	462634	38
2021/07/06 14:00:00+00	462681	47
2021/07/07 14:00:00+00	462736	55
2021/07/08 14:00:00+00	462835	99
2021/07/09 14:00:00+00	462980	145
2021/07/10 14:00:00+00	463107	127
2021/07/11 14:00:00+00	463186	79
2021/07/12 14:00:00+00	463265	79
2021/07/13 14:00:00+00	463383	118
2021/07/14 14:00:00+00	463487	104
2021/07/15 14:00:00+00	463665	178
2021/07/16 14:00:00+00	463848	183
2021/07/17 14:00:00+00	464031	183
2021/07/18 14:00:00+00	464197	166
2021/07/19 14:00:00+00	464336	139
2021/07/20 14:00:00+00	464491	155
2021/07/21 14:00:00+00	464735	244

Not only are new cases beginning to tick up but so are hospitalizations. Reported on July 21 is 146 beds in use due to COVID-19 across the state. You have to go back to June 22nd for the last time the state had that many beds in use due to COVID-19:

While I would not characterize these increases as a “spike” there is little question that the numbers are rising a bit. I will continue to watch the state wide numbers and I will begin again watching the local numbers for Carroll County and Howard County.

On July 19th Governor Hogan shared this information:

Maryland’s infection rate remains one of the lowest in the country, but those who are unvaccinated are at higher risk—especially with the highly transmissible Delta variant that is circulating.

*98%* of today’s new confirmed cases are among those who are not fully vaccinated.

If you have not be vaccinated you can find a vaccination clinic near you and make an appointment here: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine#locator

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Scott E