First COVID-19 death reported in Maryland

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A Prince George’s County man in his 60s has become the first recorded death connected to COVID-19 in Maryland.

Gov. Larry Hogan announced the death in a statement Wednesday night.

“It is with profound sadness that I announce the first death in Maryland as a result of the coronavirus pandemic,” Hogan said in the statement. “I ask all Marylanders to join me in praying for his family and loved ones during this difficult time. As we pray for his loved ones, I ask that we continue to pray for each other, for our state, and for our nation as we face this crisis together. We must use every possible resource at every level of government to save lives and keep people safe.”

The man, who was not identified, is said to have had other underlying medical conditions.

The governor is expected to provide more details in a news conference Thursday morning.

There are 85 cases of confirmed COVID-19 in Maryland, according to the Maryland Health Department. The number represents roughly a 50 percent increases from Tuesday.

COVID-19 is from a family of coronaviruses that include severe acute respiratory syndrome — SARS – and Middle East respiratory syndrome. The virus takes its name for the spikes that appear on the surface of its cells that resemble crowns.

Symptoms of COVID-19 can include fever, cough and breathing trouble. Most people who catch the virus develop only mild symptoms. But some people, usually those with other medical complications, develop more severe symptoms, including pneumonia, which can be fatal.