In response to the growing threat posed by the coronavirus known as COVID-19, on March 12 Gov. Larry Hogan activated the National Guard throughout the state of Maryland — including a unit based in Westminster.
Members of the 29th Military Police Company unit — which, like all other National Guard units, acts on the commands of the governor — have reported to the MG Henry C. Evans Armory, at 350 Hahn Road in Westminster, for duty.
“Soldiers from the unit are being activated,” said Major Kurt Rauschenberg, Maryland National Guard spokesman. “They’re coming into the armory, there in Westminster, to get additional information on what’s going on, and then we’ll go through in processing phase where they go and get prescreened for health screening just to make sure that they’re not showing any of the symptoms of COVID, or anything like that.”
According to Rauschenberg, the Westminster unit will support in statewide efforts.
“So that particular unit there, they’re going to be part of the support overall,” he said. “Some of the missions that we’re looking at conducting here in the Maryland Guard’s support is in conjunction with the other departments across Maryland such as the Maryland Department of Health, transportation, logistics, commodity distribution, things of that nature.”
As of Friday afternoon, three cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in Carroll, according to Maggie Kunz, public information officer for Carroll County Health Department.
The Maryland Department of Health website depicts a map that shows the number of known cases across the counties. Early Friday, the map showed four cases in Carroll County, but it was later revised to three. Kunz said the initial number the state posted was an error.
On Friday Maryland officials confirmed 42 new cases of the coronavirus since Thursday, raising the total to 149 cases.
As of Friday evening, the coronavirus had resulted in 216 deaths in the United States out of about almost 17,000 people who have tested positive for the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University. The World Health Organization deemed the coronavirus a pandemic March 11.
Anyone who thinks they or a family member might be showing coronavirus symptoms can call the Carroll County Health Department’s COVID-19 hotline, which is available 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. seven days a week at 410-876-4848, or contact their doctor. After hours, callers may leave a message or call 211. People with emergencies should continue to call 911.
Updates on the number of Maryland cases and other important information can be found on the health department’s COVID-19 webpage at cchd.maryland.gov/covid-19/.