Ahead Of Thanksgiving, County Adds 213 New COVID-19 Cases

Rockville MD

23 November, 2020

1:22 PM

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ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County added more than 200 cases for the 15th day this month on Monday, as health officials renewed their pleas for people to stay home over the Thanksgiving holiday. Health officials recorded 213 new COVID-19 cases as of Monday morning, pushing the countywide total to 31,389 infections. Citing contact tracing data, County Executive Marc Elrich (D) said social gatherings are driving coronavirus outbreaks across the region — and that for the sake of others, residents should not be having large gatherings at Thanksgiving. "We have hard choices to make because these holidays are coming up and they have been major points of getting together with our families," Elrich said, adding that the safest options for the holiday is celebrating with people virtually or with those who live in their household. "We are basically asking people not to do it — not to have more than 10 people in your house; not to bring people in (like) your family, cousins, aunts, uncles, and best friends; (not) to have big feasts together. Because those are cited among the leading cause of the spread of the coronavirus." Montgomery County is one of the state's hardest hit jurisdictions by COVID-19. It has the second highest number of confirmed cases, after Prince George's County, which has 38,985, according to the latest figures. It also has the highest number of deaths in the state. On Monday, the county added one new death tied to COVID-19, pushing its death toll to 890. Another 42 people, health officials believe, had the disease but died before ever getting tested. "Probable deaths" aren't included in the official fatality count until they are confirmed by a laboratory test. Across Maryland, there have been 183,797 cases, 4,293 confirmed deaths, and 155 "probable deaths." Of the 1,276 people that are currently hospitalized, 289 are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). If you plan on celebrating Thanksgiving with people outside your household, health officials recommend you consider the following guidance: Before You Go Consider the level of COVID-19 in the community where you will be celebratingConsider how many people are attending a gathering and where attendees are coming fromThe smaller the gathering the betterAsk yourself if guests are practicing social distancing and mask wearing every dayDo not attend or host a gathering if you or anyone in your household:Has COVID-19 symptomsIs waiting for COVID-19 test resultsMay have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the last 14 daysIs at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19Get your flu vaccine Preventative Measures If you're hosting a gathering, consider asking attendees to get tested beforehandIndoor gatherings are typically riskier than outdoor gatheringsIndoor gatherings with poor ventilation pose more risk than those with good ventilation (i.e., open doors and windows)The longer the gathering, the riskier it isThe more preventive measures you implement at gatherings (i.e., mask wearing, social distancing, and hand washing) the betterEnsure that guests understand and agree to those expectations Click here to learn more.