Local COVID-19 updates
Sep. 24th, 2020 04:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 4PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 15 newly reported confirmed deaths (2 less than yesterday - down 11.8%) for a total of 9,150 deaths, 455 newly reported confirmed cases (87 less than yesterday - down 16.1%) for a total of 126,863 cases, and 18,556 new patients tested by molecular tests (2,106 less than yesterday - down 10.2%) for a total of 2,144,396 individuals tested, with a total of 3,642,716 molecular tests administered to date. The ratio of newly confirmed cases to individuals tested by molecular test is 2.5%, compared to 2.6% yesterday. The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (2 less than yesterday) for a total of 212 deaths, and 26 newly reported probable cases (25 more than yesterday - up 2,500.0%) for a total of 2,130 cases. The state also reported 321 patients tested by antibody tests (75 less than yesterday - down 18.9%) for a total of 119,164 patients, and 1,723 patients tested by antigen tests (988 more than yesterday - up 134.4%) for a total of 122,954 patients. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 15 new deaths for a total of 9,362 and 481 new cases for a total of 128,993.
The seven day average number of newly confirmed cases per day is 389.1 compared to 340.0 last week (up 14.5%) and 277.1 two weeks ago (up 40.4%). The seven day average number of newly confirmed deaths per day is 14.1 compared to 13.4 last week (up 5.3%) and 12.4 two weeks ago (up 13.8%). The seven day average number of molecular tests per day is 17,155.7 compared to 16,870.6 last week (up 1.7%) and 14,946.7 two weeks ago (up 14.8%). The seven day average percentage of tests coming back positive per day is 2.2% compared to 2.1% last week and 1.9% 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 0.8%, 0% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 23. The three-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 369, 22% 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 13, 39% above the lowest observed value of 9 on September 7.
Day-to-day deaths and cases are down, which is good - and, in the case of cases, not terribly surprising, given that yesterday's numbers included a bunch of delayed reports. It's also good to see even a little tick downward in the percentage of people being tested popping positive. The seven-day rolling averages are not good, however (with the obvious exception of more tests being better), as they're all higher than the averages from last week and the week before. As for the state's "key metrics", the percentage of all tests coming back positive continues to hit new lows, but the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital continues its upward trend.
Meanwhile, there's a new COVID-19 outbreak at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston:
Just goes to show that this thing can pop up anywhere.
The town of Acton has yet to post an update today. As of the most recent report at 11:15AM on September 22, the town of Acton reported 203 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in town with 2 individuals in isolation, 180 recovered and 21 fatalities.
The seven day average number of newly confirmed cases per day is 389.1 compared to 340.0 last week (up 14.5%) and 277.1 two weeks ago (up 40.4%). The seven day average number of newly confirmed deaths per day is 14.1 compared to 13.4 last week (up 5.3%) and 12.4 two weeks ago (up 13.8%). The seven day average number of molecular tests per day is 17,155.7 compared to 16,870.6 last week (up 1.7%) and 14,946.7 two weeks ago (up 14.8%). The seven day average percentage of tests coming back positive per day is 2.2% compared to 2.1% last week and 1.9% 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 0.8%, 0% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 23. The three-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 369, 22% 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 13, 39% above the lowest observed value of 9 on September 7.
Day-to-day deaths and cases are down, which is good - and, in the case of cases, not terribly surprising, given that yesterday's numbers included a bunch of delayed reports. It's also good to see even a little tick downward in the percentage of people being tested popping positive. The seven-day rolling averages are not good, however (with the obvious exception of more tests being better), as they're all higher than the averages from last week and the week before. As for the state's "key metrics", the percentage of all tests coming back positive continues to hit new lows, but the number of COVID-19 patients in hospital continues its upward trend.
Meanwhile, there's a new COVID-19 outbreak at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston:
Brigham and Women's Hospital is scrambling to contain a cluster of COVID-19 cases in two of its medical-surgical units, affecting at least eight patients and 11 staff members.
The Boston hospital is arranging testing for all potentially exposed staff and sending home those who test positive.
The Brigham has not provided any information about the infected patients, but said that all others on the affected units have tested negative for the novel coronavirus. Meanwhile, the hospital is reaching out to all patients discharged from the affected units to arrange for testing.
[ ... ]
Trish Powers, a trauma unit nurse and chairperson of the Massachusetts Nurses Association's unit at the Brigham, said the outbreak is unnerving given the number and variety of people moving through the hospital every day, from food service workers to medical students.
"You have many ways this could be spreading. They're desperately trying to contain it," Powers said. "It has the potential to be something really huge. ... We're all hoping and praying that this stays contained somewhat and does not spread like wildfire."
At least two nurses were among those who tested positive, and both had symptoms, Powers said. One is isolating in her bedroom while her children and husband are at home, attending school and working remotely. One regularly took Brigham's shuttle from her car to the hospital.
Hospital staff and visitors have all been wearing masks, although sometimes visitors need reminders to cover their noses, Powers said. The N95 masks with the highest level of protection are reserved for staffers treating COVID-19 patients.
"This just shows that even here where 99 percent of the people all the time have their mask on correctly and there's Purell everywhere, that these things can happen," Powers said. The union represents 3,400 nurses at the hospital.
Just goes to show that this thing can pop up anywhere.
The town of Acton has yet to post an update today. As of the most recent report at 11:15AM on September 22, the town of Acton reported 203 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in town with 2 individuals in isolation, 180 recovered and 21 fatalities.