TOMS RIVER, NJ – For weeks, reporters and the public have been asking New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to release the state’s detailed contact tracing data, and for weeks, Murphy has dodged the subject. This week, the state of Maryland has released its COVID-19 contact tracing data, and here’s what the data tells us about the COVID-19 virus and how it is spreading in that state.
Most of the COVID-19 contact tracers in Maryland found that indoor family gatherings were the leading cause of the spread of COVID-19 when people admit to attending a gathering of ten or more people. House parties, other large gatherings, and dinner parties account for the bulk of the remainder of those cases. Of all of the cases reported, 13% said they attended a large gathering of ten or more people.
Most people who contract the COVID-19 virus say they did not attend any large gatherings, 57% of those surveyed through Maryland’s contact tracers.
In Maryland’s contact tracing, high-risk locations are identified as weddings, parties, stores and restaurants. 41% of COVID-19 positive cases reported going to high-risk locations one or more times. 30% said they did not go to a high-risk location.
26% of COVID-19 positive cases traced in Maryland said they went to work and 49% said they did not work in the past 14 days.
The data suggests that you can contract COVID-19 anywhere but your risk of contracting the virus is higher when large gatherings of people occur.