Local COVID-19 updates
Oct. 27th, 2020 04:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 4PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 7 newly reported confirmed deaths (10 less than yesterday - down 58.8%) for a total of 9,664 deaths, 1,025 newly reported confirmed cases (191 less than yesterday - down 15.7%) for a total of 149,361 cases, and 13,727 new patients tested by molecular tests (6,359 less than yesterday - down 31.7%) for a total of 2,665,975 individuals tested. There were 57,358 new molecular tests reported (1,500 more than yesterday - up 2.7%) with a total of 5,781,231 molecular tests administered to date. The ratio of newly confirmed cases to individuals tested by molecular test is 7.5%, compared to 6.1% yesterday. The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 224 deaths, and 235 newly reported probable cases (235 more than yesterday) for a total of 3,676 cases. The state also reported 182 patients tested by antibody tests (38 more than yesterday - up 26.4%) for a total of 126,155 patients, and 3,974 patients tested by antigen tests (3,484 more than yesterday - up 711.0%) for a total of 178,728 patients. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 7 new deaths for a total of 9,888 and 1,260 new cases for a total of 153,037.
The seven day average number of newly confirmed cases per day is 1,009.4 compared to 675.7 last week (up 49.4%) and 600.9 two weeks ago (up 68.0%). The seven day average number of newly confirmed deaths per day is 18.1 compared to 17.7 last week (up 2.4%) and 12.9 two weeks ago (up 41.1%). The seven day average number of newly tested individuals per day is 16,635.7 compared to 15,090.1 last week (up 10.2%) and 16,176.9 two weeks ago (up 2.8%). The seven day average percentage of individuals coming back confirmed positive per day is 6.1% compared to 4.5% last week and 3.7% 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 1.7%, 122% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 21. The three-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 552, 82% 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 October 18. The three-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 16, 71% above the lowest observed value of 9 on September 7.
Day-by-day deaths and cases are both down, which is obviously good; however, this is the fourth day in a row with more than a thousand new confirmed cases, which is horrible. In fact, the seven-day average number of new cases is now over a thousand! The seven-day average death count is also on an upward trend again, as are all four of the state's "key metrics".
Governor Baker did hold a press conference today, and did share some new information:
As noted in the Globe report, Baker did not list any new plans for dealing with the pandemic. Arrrgh. He did mention that there will be more data published in the weekly reports concerning coronavirus clusters, starting with Thursday's report. (This wasn't included in the Globe report, but can be seen at around 3:50 in the YouTube video of the press conference.)
The town of Acton has yet to post an update today. As of the most recent report at 6:25PM on October 21, the town of Acton reported 224 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in town with 8 individuals in isolation, 194 recovered and 21 fatalities.
The seven day average number of newly confirmed cases per day is 1,009.4 compared to 675.7 last week (up 49.4%) and 600.9 two weeks ago (up 68.0%). The seven day average number of newly confirmed deaths per day is 18.1 compared to 17.7 last week (up 2.4%) and 12.9 two weeks ago (up 41.1%). The seven day average number of newly tested individuals per day is 16,635.7 compared to 15,090.1 last week (up 10.2%) and 16,176.9 two weeks ago (up 2.8%). The seven day average percentage of individuals coming back confirmed positive per day is 6.1% compared to 4.5% last week and 3.7% 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 1.7%, 122% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 21. The three-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 552, 82% 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 October 18. The three-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 16, 71% above the lowest observed value of 9 on September 7.
Day-by-day deaths and cases are both down, which is obviously good; however, this is the fourth day in a row with more than a thousand new confirmed cases, which is horrible. In fact, the seven-day average number of new cases is now over a thousand! The seven-day average death count is also on an upward trend again, as are all four of the state's "key metrics".
Governor Baker did hold a press conference today, and did share some new information:
Governor Charlie Baker on Tuesday stressed that residents should avoid attending large social gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic and urged young people especially to take precautions, with the under-30 age demographic making up a significant share of a recent spike in new cases.
Speaking at a State House briefing, Baker said about 300 people under 30 per day have been diagnosed with the virus in recent days.
"COVID is a very contagious virus, and it will rear its ugly head wherever it gets the chance," Baker said, noting that scientists have identified informal gatherings as a prime spreader of the virus.
[ ... ]
Baker also revealed the extent of coronavirus cases among hockey programs. He said the Department of Public Health has linked more than 30 clusters with more than 110 possible cases to hockey.
He said contact tracing for the hockey outbreaks, which have affected at least 66 cities and towns, has been hampered by a "lack of cooperation" from adults contacted by tracers. He said some adults involved in the hockey programs declined to make rosters available to aid tracers.
In some cases, Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said, coaches told parents and players not to respond to tracers.
[ ... ]
Massachusetts appeared to have the virus under control at the beginning of the summer, but cases gradually edged upward as the summer wore on and fall arrived. Then, last week, they jumped sharply, with daily confirmed cases rising over 900 on Thursday and Friday and over 1,000 the next three days. Monday's total, 1,216, was the highest of the spike so far.
The increase has prompted some experts to suggest the state consider rolling back parts of its reopening plan.
Dr. Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, told Politico Tuesday that "we should be pretty concerned" about the recent spike in cases in Massachusetts.
"I don't know about alarmed, but we should be pretty concerned," Jha told Politico. "It's not just cases, but really all the metrics are going in the wrong direction. We have more new cases per population now than Georgia does. And we've always looked at Georgia as a state that hasn't necessarily done such a great job."
Jha called for rolling back indoor dining and making all state contact tracing data public.
Baker has said previously that he expected cases to rise in the fall but the state was prepared to deal with it. He did not announce any rollback plans on Tuesday.
As noted in the Globe report, Baker did not list any new plans for dealing with the pandemic. Arrrgh. He did mention that there will be more data published in the weekly reports concerning coronavirus clusters, starting with Thursday's report. (This wasn't included in the Globe report, but can be seen at around 3:50 in the YouTube video of the press conference.)
The town of Acton has yet to post an update today. As of the most recent report at 6:25PM on October 21, the town of Acton reported 224 cumulative cases of COVID-19 in town with 8 individuals in isolation, 194 recovered and 21 fatalities.