By Cyan Thomas
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is increasing defense systems against the COVID-19 pandemic on the heels of his announcement that the Baltimore-Washington area has been considered a hotspot for the virus.
Hogan said the state is going to be partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine in a $2.5 million motion to dramatically increase testing.
The state plans to test approximately 20,000 people per day, he said.
As of Friday, Maryland has reported 6,968 cases of coronavirus. The rapid spikes in Maryland’s case numbers are reportedly due to the testing method employed by the state.
“The largest single-day increase in Maryland was April 8, with 1,158 cases announced,” WUSA9 reported. “Governor Larry Hogan said the reason for the spike was likely due to private lab testing, which delivers results in batches.”
Maryland hospitals have not yet become overwhelmed, but they are preparing for a surge in cases, the Baltimore Sun reported, pointing to statistics that 1,483 Marylanders have been hospitalized for COVID-19, an increase of 65 people within the last day.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) are establishing decontamination sites to sterilize protective masks. Maryland is one of the first states to receive this ability, officials said.
Additionally, Hogan is ordering a budget freeze on state spending unrelated to the virus. He has ordered a hiring freeze for all businesses too.
This policy comes after unemployment filings in the state – and the country – have reached record highs. Maryland recorded 108,000 new claims last week, officials said.
“These are not just numbers, each of these represents a Marylander experiencing hardship right now,” Hogan said.
The GW Milken Institute School of Public Health predicts that Maryland’s COVID-19 peak will come around April 19, and that social distancing measures should last until about a month after that peak date.
Officials speculate that life as normal will not resume until around May 19, and Hogan is putting extra precautions in place by recommending that Marylanders use mail-in ballots to vote in the state’s primary on June 2.