Maryland COVID-19 cases rising among younger people

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Maryland is seeing a rise in new COVID-19 cases and young people may be the reason why the numbers are spiking.

The rise in numbers is alarmingly but health officials say not necessarily surprising. As more and more places reopen younger people are going out and getting sick.

Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and Weather

Since March 3, the state's COVID-19 positivity rate has climbed from 3.3 percent to 4.99 percent.

The spike in positive cases coincides with Gov. Larry Hogan's business opening plan, which has been taking place this month.

Nationwide, the rise in COVID-19 cases has raised fears of another coming surge, and the increases in Maryland have officials concerned that the younger population could end up infecting the older population.

Right now the COVID-19 death rate in the state remains fairly low and the percent of older Marylanders becoming infected is very low, but the concern remains.

As far as COVID-19 vaccinations go, the state is expanding its capacity to vaccinate people, improving its access to the vaccine, and reaching deeper into communities to get the vaccine to those who need it most.

Also more doses are being delivered to primary care doctors, hospitals and the state's mass vaccination sites.

In recent weeks, Maryland has been vaccinating people at a rate of more than 50,000 a day and expects to continue to meet that number each day. The expectation is that every Marylander who wants to be vaccinated could receive a first dose by June 1.

The surge could be fueled by a number of new, more contagious COVID-19 variants that have been circulating as well as the loosening of restrictions in most states, some of which also eliminated

The states continued mask and social distancing requirements have helped reopen the economy while also keeping case and hospitalization counts in check. Gov. Hogan reiterated his priority of vaccinating people 65 and older as a way of maintaining progress.