All three confirmed cases of COVID-19 are located in the Montgomery County region of Maryland and include one woman in her 50s and a couple in their 70s.
Governor Larry Hogan has declared a state of emergency in reaction to these findings. In a public statement, the he had this to say:
"Today, Maryland’s State Public Health Laboratory confirmed the first positive cases of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Maryland.
In order to further mobilize all available state resources in response to this threat to public health, I have issued a proclamation declaring a state of emergency in Maryland. With this declaration, I am officially authorizing and directing the Maryland Department of Health and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency to ramp up coordination among all state and local agencies and enable them to fast-track coordination with our state and local health departments and emergency management teams.
While today’s news may seem overwhelming, this is not a reason to panic. Marylanders should go to work or go to school tomorrow just as they normally would. At the same time, I want to continue to remind everyone to prepare themselves and continue to stay informed. I am confident in our state’s ability to respond effectively to these three cases of coronavirus as well as to any future cases, and to be a national leader in responding to this situation and in developing treatments and perhaps even a vaccine."
- Larry Hogan, Governor of Maryland
A state of emergency, once declared, allows for funding and manpower to be allocated to the sectors affected like state and local health departments. Maryland residents should not panic over the use of this political term; it just means that money is going toward the emergency at hand.
Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
COVID-19 is the official name of the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China. It has quickly spread to reach pandemic status and is affecting residents all over the world due to the ease of air travel and the relatively long incubation period of the virus. You can't go far without hearing a news story about the latest developments in the spread of the disease.
Globally, the mortality rate is estimated to be approximately 3.4 percent, according to the World Health Organization. This figure continues to be highly debated, given the potential inaccuracies in confirmed reporting rates.
Commonly reported symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, shortness of breath, and coughing. The best defense is what you would do to prevent the common cold: wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth when you cough, and avoid people who seem to be sick. If you start to feel symptoms, stay home from work or school and contact your local healthcare provider for possible testing and treatment.
Courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
For more information about the COVID-19 response in Maryland, you can call 211 or visit the state's website devoted to the COVID-19 outbreak. You can also read more about COVID-19 on the official website for the World Health Organization.
What are your thoughts on this latest announcement and the state of emergency declared in Maryland? Sound off in the comments!