County Coronavirus Cases Eclipse 18K, As Positivity Rate Drops

BETHESDA, MD — Known coronavirus infections in Montgomery County have eclipsed 18,000, state data shows, after officials added 56 new cases.

Thursday's addition pushes the local total to 18,032 confirmed cases.

In total, COVID-19 has killed at least 758 people in the county. The latest fatality count does not include the 39 others whose deaths were linked to the virus, but never confirmed by a lab test. They are considered "probable deaths" — and will not be added to the official total until a lab can confirm the cause of death.

With a population of roughly 1.1 million, Montgomery County has tested more than 16 percent of its residents, state data shows. And its coronavirus positivity rate has dropped to 2.54 percent.

That's down more than 92 percent from its peak on April 20.

The statewide positivity rate now stands at 4.03 percent.

Across Maryland, there have been 93,005 confirmed coronavirus cases, 3,415 deaths, and 136 "probable deaths."

Of the 535 people currently hospitalized with the disease, 139 are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).