MoCo Adds 53 Coronavirus Cases; 774 Deaths Tallied Since March

BETHESDA, MD — Montgomery County added 53 new coronavirus cases and one death on Wednesday, bringing its overall totals to 19,180 confirmed infections and 774 fatalities.

The latest death toll does not include the 40 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 fatality count until the state can confirm the cause of death.

The county — which is home to roughly 1.1 million people — continues to have 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 24,949, according to the latest figures.

Statewide, there have been 101,649 confirmed cases, 3,522 deaths, and 139 "probable deaths."

Of the 475 currently hospitalized for the virus, 107 are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

Like Gov. Larry Hogan, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is waiting for COVID-19 data to improve before entering phase three of reopening. Hogan has given all 24 jurisdictions in the state discretion in deciding when and how to reopen their respective economies.

Here's what the county must do to get to phase three.