Carroll County reports 32 new COVID-19 cases, positivity rate declines

While 32 new cases of COVID-19 were reported by the Carroll County Health Department on Tuesday afternoon, there were no fatalities and the county’s positivity rate dropped for the second day in a row.

There have been 68 cases so far this week after 204 were reported last week. That was up from 152 the previous week and nearly double the 104 reported the week of Feb. 21, which was the last of seven consecutive weeks of declining totals. Carroll hadn’t reported 200 or more cases since the 209 reported the week of Jan. 31.

Carroll’s testing positivity rate, which measures the percentage of tests that returned positive results over the past seven days, has dropped by .63 over the past two days to 5.45%. It has been over 5% — the threshold the World Health Organization recommends jurisdictions stay below before lifting restrictions — since March 22 after dipping as low as 2.45% on March 4.

Carroll’s case rate per 100,000 people per day, reported as an average over the past seven days, remained unchanged at 17.64. This rate had been as low as 7.46 in early March after having peaked at 47.58 on Jan. 11.

Two of the 32 cases reported Tuesday were from congregate living facilities, both staff members at Springfield Hospital. There are currently active outbreaks at eight living facilities in Carroll.

No deaths were reported. There have been 228 total COVID-19 fatalities among Carroll countians, 58 members of the community and 170 residents of congregate living facilities.

Around the state

For the first time since Feb. 10, the seven-day average coronavirus testing positivity rate in Maryland is above 5% — widely considered a key bench mark.

Tuesday, the positivity rate came in at 5.24%, up from 4.99% Monday.

After six straight days of reporting more than 1,000 new coronavirus cases, Maryland health officials reported 903 Tuesday. Still, the 14-day average of daily cases is around 1,000, compared to less than 800 earlier this month.

Vaccine

The Carroll County Health Department is currently scheduling appointment-only vaccination clinics for people in all phases through 2A, including essential workers in 1C who live or work in Carroll, and residents age 60-64 (2A). According to the health department’s vaccine information webpage, vaccinations will open to residents under 60 with health conditions soon (2B). Residents 65 and over continue to have priority.

Eligible county residents who have not yet completed the health department’s interest form should do so at cchd.maryland.gov/covid-19-interest-forms or call 410-876-4848 for assistance. The state of Maryland is open to people in phases 1A, 1B, 1C, 2A and 2B. Go to coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine#locator or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX for information on vaccination options at pharmacies, larger clinics and mass vaccination sites. Several pharmacies in Carroll County are now offering vaccines.

Community cases

Carroll has reported 6,958 cases of community members who have tested positive, 3,574 women and 3,384 men. By age group:

0-9: 267

10-19: 827

20-29: 1,241

30-39: 973

40-49: 942

50-59: 1,299

60-69: 825

70-79: 403

80-89: 156

90-99: 25

Total cases

Carroll has reported 8,174 total COVID-19 cases. By ZIP code (those with fewer than seven cases are not listed):

21784 (Eldersburg/Sykesville): 2,033

21157 (Westminster): 1,821

21158 (Westminster): 996

21771 (Mount Airy): 656

21074 (Hampstead): 588

21102 (Manchester): 514

21787 (Taneytown): 480

21048 (Finksburg): 427

21776 (New Windsor): 221

21797 (Woodbine): 141

21104 (Marriottsville): 120

21791 (Union Bridge): 98

21757 (Keymar): 65

Probable cases

In addition to the confirmed cases, Carroll also reported 33 new probable cases, making a total of 2,667 probables since the beginning of the pandemic. These are patients who test positive using a rapid antigen test, rather than a molecular test like those offered at state-run testing sites. The health department doesn’t consider these results to be confirmed cases.

Hospitalizations

Carroll Hospital had 27 patients who are positive for COVID-19 on March 27, according to the Carroll County Health Department, continuing a steady rise. That was up five from the 22 reported on March 22. The previous week, that number had been 11 and on March 9 it had been just three.

Additionally, two Carroll Hospital patients were under investigation for COVID-19, seven critical care unit beds were in use, and the total patient census was 153 out of an approximate capacity of 170.

Baltimore Sun reporter Christine Condon contributed to this article.