County COVID-19 Update: Most Metrics Improving Except for Emergency Room Visits

Monday afternoon, Montgomery County released an update to the public health metrics being used to guide the reopening timeline. The county entered Phase 2 of the economic reopening on Friday, June 19 after spending 19 days in Phase 1.

The county is tracking three categories of information including surveillance of cases and deaths, hospital capacity, and testing capabilities.

Now, ten days into Phase 2, all metrics except emergency room visits are showing improvement or adequate capacity. In the first 10 days of reopening, emergency room visits have not shown improvement or adequate capacity four days,  June 24 and June 27 through June 29.

Montgomery County progress report for June 29 (click on photo to enlarge):

Montgomery County COVID-19 Dashboard as of June 29 (click on photo to enlarge):

Montgomery County COVID-19 Dashboard as of June 28 (click on photo to enlarge):

The data posted Monday afternoon were:

• Number of new confirmed positive cases each day: 68 (three-day average); 14 declining days our of the last 14.
• Number of new COVID-19 related deaths each day: two (three-day average); 14 declining days of the last 14.
• COVID-19 related hospitalizations: 141 (three-day average); 14 declining days.
• Number of COVID-19 related emergency room patients: seven (three-day average); 10 declining days.
• COVID-19 related intensive-care unit hospitalizations: 51 (three-day average); 14 declining days.
• Acute care bed utilization rate: 66% (three-day average); the county benchmark of 70% or less has been met 14 of the last 14 days.
• Intensive Care Unit bed utilization rate: 57% (three-day average); the county benchmark of 80% or less has been met 14 out of the last 14 days.
• Percentage of ventilators in use: 34% (three-day average); the county benchmark of 70% or less has been met 14 out of the last 14 days.
• Test positivity rate: 6% (three-day average); 14 declining days.

The county also set goals for testing capacity, contact tracing, and prioritizing equity. More details on each of these goals are available on the county’s website, here.

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