Local COVID-19 updates

[edschweppe]

As of 4PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting no newly reported confirmed COVID-19 deaths (for a total of 7,874 confirmed deaths; see note below), 73 newly reported confirmed cases (for a total of 103,701) and 5,813 new patients tested by molecular tests (for a total of 842,960), with a total of 1,066,060 molecular tests administered to date. The ratio of newly confirmed cases to individuals tested by molecular test is 1.3%. The state also reported no newly reported probable deaths (for a total of 180; see note below), 41 newly reported probable cases (for a total of 5,181), and 918 patients tested by antibody tests (for a total of 71,686). In total, the state reported no new deaths (for a total of 8,054; see note below) and 114 new cases (for a total of 108,882).

The number of molecular tests is down, which isn't necessarily good news; neither is the (small) spike in probable cases. On the other hand, confirmed cases are down, the percent-positive test ratio is down, and most of all the number of new deaths is zero for the first time since this pandemic hit the Commonwealth. It'll probably jump up again tomorrow, because this pandemic isn't anywhere near over yet; but yay for zero cases today!

Today's dashboard includes a rather prominent note:

Due to ongoing data cleaning which identifies and removes duplicate reports, the number of both confirmed and probable deaths has decreased as of today’s report.

So not only did nobody die today, fewer people than we first thought died earlier. More good news!

In another sign of local progress, Governor Baker today loosened the state's travel guidance; now, folks from other New England states, New York and New Jersey will no longer be asked to self-quarantine upon arrival:

Governor Charlie Baker said Tuesday that he is relaxing the state’s self-quarantine guidance for potentially millions of out-of-state visitors, exempting people arriving from seven Northeast states that are making progress in the battle against the coronavirus.

The decision to ease guidance came as Massachusetts officials hit a new milestone in the pandemic, reporting zero new COVID-19 deaths for the first time since March. State health officials also reduced by 41 the state’s total number of confirmed and probable deaths to 8,054, citing the removal of duplicate death reports.

The number of newly reported cases ticked up by 114 on Tuesday, putting the total statewide at 108,882.

The new data and Baker’s announcement that he is loosening the travel guidance on nearby states created a strange split screen with other parts of the country, where several states, from California to Texas, are enacting new restrictions amid catastrophic increases in infections.

And even as Baker eases the guidance for people traveling from New York, New Jersey, and the five other New England states, many are tightening their own travel guidelines. New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo on Tuesday expanded to 16 the number of states from which travelers are required to quarantine for 14 days if they come to New York. New Jersey and Connecticut officials are also advising travelers from 16 states to do so.

Under Baker’s advisory, which takes effect Wednesday, visitors to Massachusetts from the seven states will not be urged to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Baker said officials from Massachusetts’ lodging industry had raised concerns that his initial advisory, in place since March 27, was deterring people from making reservations in hotels.

The 14-day quarantine guidelines will remain in place for visitors from 42 other states, and include no fines or penalties. But the revised guidance specifically caters to a set of regional travelers who normally drive state tourism. In fiscal year 2019, about 11.8 million travelers from those seven Northeast states visited Massachusetts, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all out-of-state domestic visitors, state data show.

“These surrounding states, like Massachusetts, are seeing a significant decline in cases and new hospitalizations,” Baker said Tuesday at the State House. “We believe this change reflects the facts on the ground and is consistent with the Commonwealth’s approach to COVID-19 standards generally.”

[ ... ]

Baker said the rising numbers elsewhere are evidence of places “where people have let down their guard and the virus has come roaring back.”

“I think continued vigilance with this is the way you contain it,” he said.

The town of Acton has yet to post an update today. As of the most recent report at 9:30PM on Sunday 6/28, the town reported 173 cumulative cases with 0 individuals in isolation, 152 persons recovered and 21 fatalities.