Maryland releases ZIP code-level data on coronavirus cases

 Maryland officials on Sunday released ZIP code-level data on the spread of COVID-19 across the state, as the number of confirmed cases grew by the hundreds.

The data released Sunday shows more cases in a northwest Baltimore ZIP code area than any other in the state, The Baltimore Sun reported .

“It’s clearly spreading,” said Joshua Sharfstein, a former city health commissioner. “This is a beeping warning light that there is community transmission right now in Baltimore.”

The data also showed hotspots in the Silver Spring area, the Prince George’s County suburbs of Washington and the Frederick area, according to the newspaper.

Maryland on Sunday reported a total of at least 8,225 cases, an increase of more than 500 in the past 24 hours. The death toll stood at 235, a daily increase of 29.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.

Nationwide, the U.S. has over 556,000 cases with deaths surpassing 22,000 on Sunday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.