Talbot County has seven confirmed COVID-19 cases, but now has experienced its first fatality, bringing the number of deaths in Maryland to 53.
“This is very significant for our community,” said Dr. Fredia Wadley, health officer for Talbot County. “This individual was in her 40s with significant co-morbidities. Fortunately, the deceased had no contact with her co-workers prior to her symptomatic period because of her chronic conditions, and her family members have been isolated since the hospitalization and are being monitored for symptoms.”
“We are all saddened to hear this news, and our prayers go out to this person’s family and friends,” said Talbot County Council President Corey Pack. “I call on the people of Talbot County to continue to support one another during this difficult time.”
Maryland reports 367 new cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, for a total of 3,125 cases across the state. The Talbot County individual who passed away was hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms and was one of the 157 new hospitalizations in the past 24 hours. The cumulative total for hospitalizations in Maryland stands at 821.
“This death is consistent with what we know about this disease,” Wadley said. “We have warned that people over 65 years of age and younger persons with chronic conditions are at a higher risk of a severe infection and death with COVID-19 infections.
“COVID-19 cases are increasing across the Eastern Shore,” she said. “This region was holding steady at 2%, but we now have 3% of the cases in Maryland. This represents transmission of the virus in the community and further indicates that social distancing is critical for protecting ourselves, our families, and our community.”
The Centers for Disease Control are now advising that everyone wear a cloth mask when they go outside their homes. This is to protect others if the wearer is infected but asymptomatic. Masks help catch moisture and viruses as we breathe out and helps protect the people in close contact with the wearer. As scientists have learned more about this novel virus, one important fact is that people asymptomatic can sometimes spread the virus.
“At this time we do not have enough surgical masks for our frontline healthcare workers to make these available to the public,” Wadley said. “Several people including a quilters club in the area have been making cloth masks. These are great for the public to use, but they should be washed every day. If you don’t have one of the homemade masks, you can use a handkerchief over your nose and mouth. This works too, but again, they must be washed every day.”
The number of cases in Maryland is expected to peak in the next two to three weeks.
“As the cases rise, our Health Department infection control nurses get more calls each day with questions about COVID-19,” Wadley said. “I urge Talbot County residents to go to our website talbotcovid19.org for daily updates of the number of cases and other important information.
“I also urge all residents to stay at home as much as possible, practice social distancing, and wash their hands frequently,” she said. “These are the things you can do to protect yourself. Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health is recognized as the voice of reason for this pandemic, and he says he washes his hands or uses sanitizers as many as 50 times a day. If he believes handwashing is that important for his protection, I am convinced it is important for me to do likewise.”
Where to Find More Information
• CDC COVID-2019 Website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• Talbot County COVID-19 Information www.talbotcovid19.org
• Shore Regional Health COVID Information https://www.umms.org/shore/patients-visitors/coronavirus
• Maryland Department of Health Website: https://health.maryland.gov/pages/home.aspx
• Talbot County Health Department Website: https://health.maryland.gov/talbotcounty/Pages/home.aspx
• Talbot County Health Department Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TalbotHealthMaryland/
• Talbot County Department of Emergency Services Website: https://www.talbotdes.org/default.asp
• Talbot County Department of Emergency Services Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talbotdes
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