As the number of COVID-19 cases in Carroll County continue to slowly decrease since the height of the latest surge, three Carroll County residents died this past week due to the virus, according to the county health department.
As of Tuesday, Carroll Hospital had 135 total patients, six of whom tested positive for COVID-19. The hospital reported that four of patients with COVID-19 had not been vaccinated. In the Critical Care Unit, nine patients were being cared for, one of whom is COVID positive.
Carroll County’s positivity rate was 7.22% as of Tuesday, a decrease from last week, but still a level considered as “high transmission,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
On Tuesday, Carroll County reported 194 new positive COVID-19 cases since last week. The county’s overall case count to date is 20,364.
Although the Carroll County Health Department had been offering a drive-thru COVID-19 testing site at the Agriculture Center in Westminster, starting on Feb. 22 COVID testing will be moved back to the health department building due to decreased testing volume. The building will be closed Monday for Presidents Day.
For updated information, visit cchd.maryland.gov/covidtesting or call 410-876-4848.
The health department is also hosting vaccination clinics at Carroll Community College for residents age 5 and older. Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccinations for COVID-19 are available. Registration is at https://cchd.maryland.gov/registration-links/.
Clinics at the college will be held 3:30-7:30 p.m today, Thursday and Feb. 24 and 10 a.m. -1 p.m. on Feb. 26.
In partnership with the health department, the Carroll County Public Library system has been distributing free COVID-19 home-test kits at branches and its headquarters. Those interested should check the library website at https://library.carr.org or call 410-386-4488 for current distribution details.
Test kits also may be requested through the federal government online at covidtests.gov. One set of four tests is available per mailing address.
If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 with an at-home test kit, the Maryland Department of Health is asking for results to be submitted to covidlink.maryland.gov/selfreport.