COVID hospitalizations, testing positivity in Maryland continue to decline; about a third of state now fully vaccinated

A day after Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced masks were no longer required outdoors in the state, a host of key coronavirus metrics, including hospitalizations and testing positivity, continued to decline. Maryland has recorded fewer than 1,000 cases for four of the last seven daysbut has averaged 1,047 new cases daily for the last two weeks.  The 14-day average is about 300 cases lower than a spring high April 17 and down from a pandemic peak of 2,949 Jan. 12, during a post-holiday surge of the virus.