Local COVID-19 updates

[edschweppe]

As of 4PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 11 newly reported confirmed COVID-19 deaths (for a total of 8,163), 143 newly reported confirmed cases (for a total of 106,271), and 12,880 new patients tested by molecular tests (for a total of 995,374), with a total of 1,274,585 molecular tests administered to date. The ratio of newly confirmed cases to individuals tested by molecular test is 1.1%. The state also reported 1 newly reported probable death (for a total of 217), 91 newly reported probable cases (for a total of 6,310), and 1,189 patients tested by antibody tests (for a total of 83,598). Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 12 new deaths (for a total of 8,380) and 234 new cases (for a total of 112,581).

So that's deaths down (yay!), tests up (yay!) and cases up slightly (not-so-yay). Percent-positive also is down day-by-day. However, we haven't actually had a single day in I-don't-remember-when where all the headline numbers went in the "right" direction.

Masks work - so says Governor Baker:

Citing the recent spike in COVID-19 infections in other parts of the country, Governor Charlie Baker on Thursday urged state residents to remain vigilant and wear face coverings when they can't socially distance in an effort to keep infection rates low in Massachusetts, where the seven-day average of positive tests continues to hover around 2 percent.

"It's very clear from the research and data that face coverings are the most important and significant way to stop the spread," Baker said during his regular State House news conference. "While there's been a lot of back and forth ... the one thing we all know for sure is it spreads from one person to another, to another, and then to another."

[ ... ]

Baker's order requiring people to wear face coverings in public when they can't socially distance took effect in May. Children aged 2 and under are exempt, as are people who have medical conditions that make mask-wearing untenable.

"That order is going to remain in place until we don't have an emergency," Baker said, adding that statewide compliance with his mask order has been high.

"If people want to engage in a discussion about masks as they relate to COVID, my view is masks are a fundamental part of how we contain and fight the virus," Baker said. "And we believe the proposal we put in place, which gives locals the ability to also enforce this order with a variety of means of mechanisms that are available to them, has worked enormously effectively. ... And again, I give the people of the Commonwealth credit for recognizing and understanding that this is not only an important way to protect themselves, but it's also an important way to protect others, given the amount of asymptomatic spread that exists with COVID generally."

He added that the state's hospitalization rates for COVID-19 remain low, with just six hospitals using surge capacity as of Wednesday, which was mainly due to non-ICU and non-COVID related issues.

Well, at least now I know the "hospitals using surge capacity" isn't due to COVID-19. Wish they'd say so in the daily dashboard ...

As of 12:30PM today, the town of Acton is reporting 180 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in Acton with 3 individuals in isolation, 156 recovered and 21 fatalities - that's four more cases (all recovered) since the last update on July 14.