MoCo Sees Biggest One-Day Rise In COVID Cases Since Peak In May

BETHESDA, MD — Montgomery County has recorded its greatest one-day increase in COVID-19 cases since its peak in mid-May, according to data released Tuesday by the Maryland Department of Health.

In the past 24 hours, the county reported 366 new coronavirus cases, pushing its total to 29,571. Last time the daily caseload was higher was on May 19, when there were 533 confirmed infections.

The number of cases per 100,000 residents hit 25 on Tuesday — its highest level since May 19. On that day, the seven-day average was 24.7 cases per 100,000 residents. Ten is the threshold at which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers a region to be at high risk for coronavirus transmission.

Between June 17 and Oct. 13, the case rate hovered between 6.3 and 9.4 — which, by the county's standard — poses a moderate transmission risk.

Here's a closer look:

On Tuesday, the county recorded three new deaths linked to COVID-19. That pushes the local death toll to 874.

Forty-one others, health officials say, may have had the virus but died before ever getting tested. For now, they are considered "probable deaths." They won't be added to the official fatality count until they are confirmed by a lab test.

The county — which is home to roughly 1.1 million residents — has the highest number of deaths in the state. It also has the second highest number of confirmed cases, after Prince George's County, which has 36,905, according to the latest figures.

Across Maryland, there have been 169,805 coronavirus cases, 4,186 confirmed deaths, and 149 "probable deaths." Of the 1,046 patients being hospitalized for the disease statewide, 255 are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).