High COVID-19 Community Transmission Levels Across Region; Wear Masks in Public Indoor Settings, CDC Says

Community transmission levels for COVID-19 are substantial in Talbot County and high across the rest of the Mid-Shore, according to the CDC.

Everyone should wear masks in public indoor settings when transmission levels are at those levels, according to the federal agency’s COVID-19 County Check.

Security concern affects data updates

Some state and county COVID-19 statistics have not been updated for about 10 days as a result of “a network security incident involving the Maryland Department of Health,” according to the Dorchester County Health Department’s website. “There is no evidence of a data breach” and  “certain systems have been taken offline out of an abundance of caution.”

A note dated Dec. 15, 2021, on the Maryland Department of Health’s website says the agency “is experiencing a server outage. Hospitalizations data are current. Other surveillance data will be updated as soon as possible. Vaccine data is updated as of 12/15/2021.”

State officials will be questioned about the Dec. 4 attack by “(t)wo legislative committees that oversee the Maryland Department of Health,” Maryland Matters reported. “Although some systems have come back online, the agency has not posted COVID-19 case rates, testing or mortality data since Dec. 3.”

Vaccinations

• CDC 18+ population with at least one dose : 90.3%

• To pre-register for a vaccine appointment, visit www.marylandvax.org or covidvax.maryland.gov or call 1-855-MD-GOVAX (1-855-634-6829).

• State Vaccine Information Page: https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/vaccine

• Vaccination Site Search: https://maryland.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/nearby/index.html?appid=0dbfb100676346ed9758be319ab3f40c

Hospitalizations

• The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Maryland dropped by 22 in the last 24 hours.

• There currently are 1,151 people hospitalized due to coronavirus. COVID-19 hospitalizations had dropped to a low of about 100 in early July.