Oh yeah, there's still that pandemic thing ...

There's been a lot going on this week, and the news and our minds have mostly been fixed on the outcome of the presidential election  But at a press conference on Thursday, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan addressed the recent spikes in COVID-19 that have been reported in Maryland. He summed it up very simply, stating "It's not that hard, just wear the damn masks."

In just the last two days, reports have increased by 1,198, making the total number of cases in the state 149,964. There is now a total of 4,035 deaths due to the virus in Maryland as 10 more were recently reported. What's more, the positivity rate for the entire state is now at 4.21% which is the highest it has been since early August.  

During the press conference, the governor advised against traveling to states that have been hit the hardest by COVID-19 saying that "if you do travel to one of these locations, you should immediately be tested for COVID-19 and should self-quarantine while awaiting the results." The governor spoke of his concern that residents and local businesses have become more relaxed regarding the health guidelines and are not "following the law." Hogan said there are seven jurisdictions in Maryland with a positivity rate greater than 5%. Despite all this, there are currently no plans to implement new restrictions on the state at this time.

The governor stated that health officials have been expecting an increase in cases during the fall and winter months and although he feels the state is prepared, Marylanders should not "let their guard down" and still use caution. He insists that Maryland is better prepared than others and they are certainly better prepared than they were in the spring.

"Nobody should think for one minute that we are somehow immune to the spikes that we’re seeing spread in surrounding states in the region and across the country. The weeks and months ahead will be difficult and our collective actions will determine whether we can continue safely on this road to recovery.”

The Maryland Department of Health's latest summary of the state's cases are as follows (probable deaths are listed with an asterisk):

How do you feel Maryland is handling the situation?  Live in a different state and want to weigh in?  Let us know in the comments!