Local COVID-19 updates

As of 4PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 16 newly reported confirmed deaths (4 less than yesterday - down 20.0%) for a total of 8,791 deaths, 438 newly reported confirmed cases (73 more than yesterday - up 20.0%) for a total of 117,888 cases, and 23,716 new patients tested by molecular tests (1,624 less than yesterday - down 6.4%) for a total of 1,673,552 individuals tested, with a total of 2,290,752 molecular tests administered to date. The ratio of newly confirmed cases to individuals tested by molecular test is 1.8%, compared to 1.4% yesterday. The state also reported 430 patients tested by antibody tests (339 less than yesterday - down 44.1%) for a total of 111,578 and 1,399 patients tested by antigen tests (949 more than yesterday - up 210.9%) for a total of 83,972.

The seven day average number of newly confirmed cases per day is 357.8 compared to 287.4 last week (up 24.5%) and 268.0 two weeks ago (up 33.5%). The seven day average number of newly confirmed deaths per day is 20.2 compared to 12.6 last week (up 60.4%) and 13.4 two weeks ago (up 50.2%). The seven day average number of molecular tests per day is 22,948.3 compared to 19,018.9 last week (up 20.7%) and 17,873.3 two weeks ago (up 28.4%). The seven day average percentage of tests coming back positive per day is 1.5% compared to 1.5% last week and 1.6% two weeks ago. (The above averages are calculated from today's raw data download.)

Nice to see day-to-day deaths going down, but not nice to see cases going up, and especially not when tests are going down (thus driving the percent-positive ratio up, which I never want to see). The seven-day trends for cases and deaths are both bad as well; the only saving grace is that the trend for percent-positive is flat.

The town of Acton has yet to post an update today. As of the most recent report at 3:30PM on August 24, the town of Acton reported 195 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in town with 6 individuals in isolation, 168 recovered and 21 fatalities.