March 31st, 2020 by WCBC Radio
Dorchester County has announced its first positive COVID-19 case. As of this morning, the Allegany County Health Department reports that the county still has no lab-confirmed positive test results.
Statewide the number of laboratory confirmed cases increased to 1,660 on Tuesday. Allegany County remains with no confirmed cases of the highly contagious and deadly virus, according to emergency services officials.
“There have been just under 15,000 COVID-19 tests performed across the state,” Emergency Services Director James Pyles said. “Allegany remains with no confirmed cases. We will have another update from the county health department tomorrow or sooner if the situation requires immediate attention.”
In Allegany County, 321 residents have been tested for COVID-19. Of the total, 228 have tested negative for the virus and 93 are still pending results, according to the Allegany County Health Department.
Pyles added that with the number of confirmed cases climbing, there have been 429 patients hospitalized and 18 reported deaths from the virus in Maryland.
“We send our thoughts and prayers to the families that have lost loved ones to this virus,” Pyles said. “It is incredibly important for the public to note the importance of the directives from Governor Hogan, state and local health officials.”
Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland lead with the most confirmed cases, Pyles said.
“The intention of the stay-at-home order is to slow the spread of this virus. By limiting the person-to-person contact, we can dramatically slow the number of cases,” Pyles said. “With that being said, it lessens the burden on hospitals statewide and other critical resources.”
Pyles said that the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services has been working with the volunteer corporations to ensure that they have been properly fit tested for N95 masks.
“DES staff have scheduled appointments with all the fire and EMS departments, career and volunteer within the in the county to make sure that their clinicians have been fit tested for masks. These masks are used on calls where the virus is suspected and when crews are performing invasive airways procedures where they are more likely to be exposed,” Pyles said. “We have had a great turnout from the volunteer corporations to get this task completed.”
Lt. Todd Bowman is the public information officer for the Allegany County Department of Emergency Services. He can be reached by email at tbowman@alleganygov.org or phone at 240-609-8861.
March 31, 2020 at 5:38 pm, Ed Dodrill said:
Please be ready. Why hasn’t the downtown parking garage been suggested as a field hospital. This should have been setup already or at least planned out. Parking garages are being converted all across the country.
March 31, 2020 at 7:16 pm, Joe Wellberg said:
> Why not the fairgrounds. Got a large field. Got a race track and a multi purpose building. It can hold thousands if possible.
March 31, 2020 at 7:48 pm, Tom W said:
Allegany College is adjacent to the hospital and has both large open facilities such as the gym, as well as separate classrooms for isolation purposes. Classes are now online.
March 31, 2020 at 10:08 pm, Doc Martin said:
If you do not test symptomatic individuals you do not have any cases. Just report the facts. Not enough tests have been conducted in Allegany County to give an accurate report of positive cases.