Coronavirus is on the rebound in Maryland and – to a lesser extent – in Prince George’s County, according to official state numbers. This surge in cases is being driven by growing outbreaks in rural areas of Maryland, according to an analysis by Route 1 Reporter. In particular, exurban communities in central Maryland and along the Chesapeake Bay’s western shores have seen the number of positive tests increase most-dramatically since July 1. Meanwhile, urban areas closer to Washington D.C., hard-hit by the virus early on, have seen far less-dramatic changes in the number of new positive coronavirus cases.
As of July 21, Total cases have risen to 79,545 across the state, and include 3,402 deaths. The number of new cases, as measured by number of positive tests diagnosed in the previous 14 days, is climbing. This statistic peaked at a population of 13,383 new cases statewide on May 19. Since then, Maryland saw a steady decline in new cases, bottoming out at 4,590 new cases confirmed in the two weeks preceding June 30. But since July 1, this number has steadily gone up. On July 21, 8,684 cases had been confirmed in the previous two weeks.
Similarly, in Prince George’s County, the two-week population of new confirmed has been increasing since the end of June, when it hovered around 960. Since then, it has increased to 1,582 as of July 20.
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