Maryland reports no COVID-19 deaths for first time since October

Jun. 21—For the first time since Oct. 18, 2020, Maryland reported no new COVID-19 deaths on Sunday.

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) hailed the news, tweeting, "Maryland is reporting zero new COVID-19 deaths for the first time since October 18, 2020 — another major milestone as our state emerges from the pandemic."

The Republican governor went on to encourage residents to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

The state's death toll stood at 9,490 as of Sunday's reporting, with 150 people currently hospitalized and 43 in intensive care units (ICU).

One week ago, Frederick County reached a milestone of its own, reporting no COVID-19 patients in the ICU of Frederick Health Hospital for the first time since early November 2020. As of June 17, the most recent Frederick County data available Sunday, the local ICU remained empty of COVID-19 patients, while four others claimed beds elsewhere in the hospital.

Maryland had confirmed 461,739 cases of COVID-19, while Frederick County logged 19,823 cases and 332 deaths as of Sunday's reporting. The county's seven-day positivity rate stood at 0.65 while the state's rate was 0.72.

In Frederick County, residents age 80 and older make up 58 percent of deaths and 2.5 percent of cases. The greatest number of cases falls within the 20- to 39-year-old age group at 34.9 percent, but they only represent 0.6 percent of deaths.

The Maryland Department of Health reported 73.1 percent of the population had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with 3,250,002 people fully vaccinated. Slightly more than 54 percent of Frederick County residents were fully vaccinated as of Sunday, or 141,513 people.

First doses have gone to nearly 54 percent of the Frederick County population, and 48.6 percent have received the second dose. 5.9 percent got the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the county's website showed.

Across Maryland, first-dose shots had hit the arms of 3,382,580 residents as of Sunday's reporting, 2,997,917 got the second shot and 252,085 received the single dose.

On Saturday, the Maryland Lottery announced the daily Vax Cash Promotion winner is from Frederick. That local resident scooped up $40,000 in the state-backed promotion aimed at driving vaccination figures higher. The person's identity had not been disclosed as of Sunday afternoon.

The $2 million Vax Cash Promotion began in late May, with $40,000 awarded daily through July 3. On the Fourth of July, a final winner will be awarded $400,000.

Any Maryland resident 18 years old or older who has been vaccinated in Maryland is automatically registered for a chance to win each day of the promotion. The date of someone's vaccination does not impact their eligibility.

Follow Mary Grace Keller on Twitter: @MaryGraceKeller