July 29th, 2021 by WCBC Radio

505 new cases and five additional deaths as a result of the coronavirus were reported in Maryland on Thursday.  The state health department attributed the increase to the spread of the Delta variant among the unvaccinated.

Hospitalizations also increased Thursday. There are 215 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 with 160 in acute care and 55 in the ICU.

The current positivity rate in Maryland is 2.58%.