The St. Mary’s County Health Department has confirmed additional positive cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in St. Mary’s County residents, bringing the total case count to twenty-three.
Additionally, there is now strong evidence of community spread of COVID-19 in St. Mary’s County. Community spread is the passage of illness from person to person without known risks, such as travel or contact with a confirmed case.
“With community spread, everyone could be at some risk for COVID-19,” said Dr. Meena Brewster, St. Mary’s County Health Officer. “The risk of being in public places is now similar to being in a location where someone may have been while contagious with the virus. It is critical that our community members stay at home as much as possible and take precautions.”
SMCHD will no longer issue notifications for public exposure risks, as general risk to the community in public spaces is evident. Residents should focus on staying home, social distancing from others, and infection prevention measures to slow the spread of COVID-19. If you are sick, stay away from others. If you need medical attention, call ahead to your primary care doctor or healthcare facility, or use 9-1-1 if in a medical emergency.
For local COVID-19 case count, updates and information, please visit www.smchd.org/coronavirus or call the COVID-19 Community Hotline at (301) 475-4911 Monday – Saturday from 8:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m.
