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By Regina Garcia Cano
The Associated Press
Gov. Larry Hogan announced a second death in Maryland late March 20 from the new coronavirus, warning the number of infections continues to “dramatically rise” with more than half of the state’s nearly 150 known cases detected in areas near the nation’s capital.
The latest death also came on a day when the Maryland National Guard began arriving in Baltimore to provide assistance during the outbreak. Hogan earlier this week activated 1,000 soldiers and airmen and ordered 1,200 to be in a state of enhanced readiness amid the global pandemic.
More than half of the cases in Maryland were detected in suburban Montgomery and Prince George’s counties outside Washington, D.C., authorities said.
Hogan announced late March 20 that a Baltimore County resident in his 60s with existing conditions had become the second death linked to the virus. The first Maryland death was reported March 18.
“This is a public health crisis like nothing we have ever faced before,” Hogan said on Twitter, adding that he sent “heartfelt condolences” to the man’s loved ones even as he urged Maryland residents to take the pandemic seriously.
His advice to Maryland residents: “Avoid all playgrounds, pavilions, and anywhere that groups of more than 10 people may congregate. Please do not take this guidance lightly.”
Also among the known infections is a 10-month-old baby. The baby’s case marked the first known infant infection from the virus in Maryland. A 5-year-old girl and a teenager are the only others under 18 who tested positive in Maryland, officials said.
“None of the cases of children under 18 are currently hospitalized,” Hogan said in a statement earlier int he day.
In other developments, Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh cautioned residents about con artists taking advantage of people’s fears of the virus.
Frosh said scammers are promoting fake cures for the virus, peddling sham at-home testing kits and sending emails purportedly from the World Health Organization and federal health officials seeking personal information. He said senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to the scams and noted there are no drugs to cure or prevent COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.
Frosh also urged consumers to report price gouging. He said his office has seen instances across the state, including one in which a case of water was being sold for $38.
Separately, Baltimore Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young said deployment of National Guard troops “helps provide resources we need to support the work being done to keep Baltimore healthy.”
The statement from the mayor’s office said the National Guard will be stationed to help support meal distribution at school sites throughout Baltimore. The guard will assist in feeding children through the program begun earlier this week and led by staff from the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success, the Department of Planning, and the Department of Recreation and Parks.
According to the statement, the guard also will provide aid in planning and logistical support for the city’s hospitals and medical teams.
The vast majority of people recover from the disease caused by the virus. For most people, the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more serve illness, including pneumonia.
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