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Local COVID-19 updates
Sep. 29th, 2020 04:36 pmAs of 4PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 8 newly reported confirmed deaths (3 less than yesterday - down 27.3%) for a total of 9,210 deaths, 450 newly reported confirmed cases (83 more than yesterday - up 22.6%) for a total of 129,243 cases, and 14,124 new patients tested by molecular tests (1,075 more than yesterday - up 8.2%) for a total of 2,219,798 individuals tested, with a total of 3,988,224 molecular tests administered to date. The ratio of newly confirmed cases to individuals tested by molecular test is 3.2%, compared to 2.8% yesterday. The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 213 deaths, and 62 newly reported probable cases (1 less than yesterday - down 1.6%) for a total of 2,341 cases. The state also reported 146 patients tested by antibody tests (94 more than yesterday - up 180.8%) for a total of 120,133 patients, and 1,450 patients tested by antigen tests (974 less than yesterday - down 40.2%) for a total of 130,459 patients. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 8 new deaths for a total of 9,423 and 512 new cases for a total of 131,584.
The seven day average number of newly confirmed cases per day is 482.4 compared to 348.7 last week (up 38.3%) and 315.9 two weeks ago (up 52.7%). The seven day average number of newly confirmed deaths per day is 13.1 compared to 14.6 last week (down 9.8%) and 11.9 two weeks ago (up 10.8%). The seven day average number of molecular tests per day is 16,374.3 compared to 17,878.3 last week (down 8.4%) and 14,722.4 two weeks ago (up 11.2%). The seven day average percentage of tests coming back positive per day is 3.0% compared to 2.0% last week and 2.1% two weeks ago. (The above averages are calculated from today's raw data download.)
Of the Commonwealth's four "key metrics" listed on page 2 of the report, the seven-day weighted average positive test rate is 1.0%, 26% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 21. The three-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 423, 40% above the lowest observed value of 302 on August 29. The number of hospitals using surge capacity is 2, 2 above the lowest observed value of 0 on September 5. The three-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 12, 29% above the lowest observed value of 9 on September 7.
I'm always happy to see deaths come down on a day-to-day basis; I'm much less happy to see confirmed cases going up, and even less happy to see the number of newly tested persons going up proportionately less, driving the percentage of folks testing positive back above three percent. (We briefly hit one percent back on August 14.) Five percent generally means "out of control". Worse, the seven-day averages for cases and percent-positive are continuing upward trends, as are the state's' "key metrics" of seven-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate and three-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital.
The top-of-the-fold front page story in today's Boston Globe? The same one I noticed last night (although with a different headline): As rate of positive coronavirus tests increases in Massachusetts, some experts urge caution
( Read more... )
So, with those alarm bells ringing and case counts climbing again today, what does Governor Baker do? Why, announce that most cities and towns can now take the next steps in reopening businesses, of course!
( Read more... )
I get that the governor wants to let as many businesses as possible reopen as much as possible. But is this really the right step to take when not just the case counts but the percentage of people testing positive are climbing? Especially on the day when, according to the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard, the world has surpassed one million confirmed deaths?
The town of Acton has not posted an update today, but did do so last night. As of 8:15PM yesterday, the town of Acton is reporting 207 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in town with 5 individuals in isolation, 181 recovered and 21 fatalities; that's four more cases, three more persons currently in isolation, and one more person recovered compared to the previous report on September 22. It is good to see that no new deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in town since May 21.
The seven day average number of newly confirmed cases per day is 482.4 compared to 348.7 last week (up 38.3%) and 315.9 two weeks ago (up 52.7%). The seven day average number of newly confirmed deaths per day is 13.1 compared to 14.6 last week (down 9.8%) and 11.9 two weeks ago (up 10.8%). The seven day average number of molecular tests per day is 16,374.3 compared to 17,878.3 last week (down 8.4%) and 14,722.4 two weeks ago (up 11.2%). The seven day average percentage of tests coming back positive per day is 3.0% compared to 2.0% last week and 2.1% two weeks ago. (The above averages are calculated from today's raw data download.)
Of the Commonwealth's four "key metrics" listed on page 2 of the report, the seven-day weighted average positive test rate is 1.0%, 26% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 21. The three-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 423, 40% above the lowest observed value of 302 on August 29. The number of hospitals using surge capacity is 2, 2 above the lowest observed value of 0 on September 5. The three-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 12, 29% above the lowest observed value of 9 on September 7.
I'm always happy to see deaths come down on a day-to-day basis; I'm much less happy to see confirmed cases going up, and even less happy to see the number of newly tested persons going up proportionately less, driving the percentage of folks testing positive back above three percent. (We briefly hit one percent back on August 14.) Five percent generally means "out of control". Worse, the seven-day averages for cases and percent-positive are continuing upward trends, as are the state's' "key metrics" of seven-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate and three-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital.
The top-of-the-fold front page story in today's Boston Globe? The same one I noticed last night (although with a different headline): As rate of positive coronavirus tests increases in Massachusetts, some experts urge caution
( Read more... )
So, with those alarm bells ringing and case counts climbing again today, what does Governor Baker do? Why, announce that most cities and towns can now take the next steps in reopening businesses, of course!
( Read more... )
I get that the governor wants to let as many businesses as possible reopen as much as possible. But is this really the right step to take when not just the case counts but the percentage of people testing positive are climbing? Especially on the day when, according to the Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Dashboard, the world has surpassed one million confirmed deaths?
The town of Acton has not posted an update today, but did do so last night. As of 8:15PM yesterday, the town of Acton is reporting 207 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in town with 5 individuals in isolation, 181 recovered and 21 fatalities; that's four more cases, three more persons currently in isolation, and one more person recovered compared to the previous report on September 22. It is good to see that no new deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in town since May 21.