Baltimore City has procured thousands of testing kits and received certification to process coronavirus test kits themselves, Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young said, though the city remains far from benchmarks necessary to lift the city's stay-at-home order.

"Baltimore City's reopening must and will be guided by the data and science," Young said at a Tuesday press conference. "This decision has been made after close consultation with our public health. Baltimore City is simply not in a position to reopen at this time."

Young said the city is conducting an average of 571 tests per day, far below the 2,700 to 2,800 the city should be conducting, based on World Health Organization guidelines.

In partnership with the private firm Hologic, the Baltimore City Health Department has been certified to process tests in its own lab rather than handing off tests to state counterparts.

The city has procured 18,000 testing kits and is receiving 500 testing kits per week from the state, something for which Young thanked Gov. Larry Hogan.

Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa said contact tracing remains key and urged residents to cooperate if they are called as part of a contact tracing investigation.

Young again urged businesses, including restaurants, to observe local and state orders. Read more at WBAL