Maryland recorded its lowest rate of COVID-19 positivity since the pandemic began, Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday.
Across the state, the seven-day positivity rate for the virus has fallen to 4.05%, which is the lowest level recorded since the World Health Organization first declared the novel coronavirus to be a pandemic. The daily positivity rate in Maryland also reached a record low at 3.08%. 
In Maryland’s largest counties, positivity percentages have been trending downward since the peak of the virus in late April.
Montgomery County reached a new low of 2.52%, which is a decrease of more than 92% since April 20, which was the peak in the county. Prince George’s County currently has a positivity rate of 6.05%.
Still, not all counties are trending down.
The Hogan administration said the health department is tracking a rising positivity rate in Worcester County, where the rate has gone up by 86% since Aug. 1. The county currently has a positivity rate of 6.43%.
The falling numbers were unveiled amid an ongoing dispute between Hogan and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich over whether nonpublic schools in the county should have the ability to decide for themselves if they will hold in-person classes or not.
Hogan said he believes the schools should be able to decide for themselves, but Elrich said he wants to see lower community-based transmission before he feels comfortable with those schools returning to the classroom.
WTOP’s Jack Moore contributed to this report.
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Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia | Maryland | D.C.
