Local COVID-19 updates
Dec. 7th, 2020 05:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 30 newly reported confirmed deaths (18 less than yesterday - down 37.5%) for a total of 10,793 2,463 newly reported confirmed cases (2,284 less than yesterday - down 48.1%) for a total of 250,022, and 43,304 newly reported molecular tests (46,135 less than yesterday - down 51.6%). The seven day average positivity rate is 5.46%, compared to 5.34% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 7.44%, compared to 7.38% yesterday. The number of estimated active cases was 58,452 (1,148 more than yesterday - up 2.0%). The state also reported 1 newly reported probable death (2 less than yesterday - down 66.7%) for a total of 242 and 18 newly reported probable cases (62 less than yesterday - down 77.5%) for a total of 9,303. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 31 new deaths for a total of 11,035 and 2,481 new cases for a total of 259,325. There were 1,516 COVID-19 patients in hospital (100 more than yesterday - up 7.1%), 302 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (4 more than yesterday - up 1.3%) and 153 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (14 more than yesterday - up 10.1%).
Of the Commonwealth's four "key metrics" listed on page 2 of the report, the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 3,509 (103 more than yesterday - up 3.0%), 2,135% above the lowest observed value of 157 on July 4 and 15% below the highest observed value of 4,099 on December 3. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 5.5% (0 more than yesterday - up 2.1%), 605% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 21 and 80% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on April 15. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 1,361 (49 more than yesterday - up 3.7%), 778% above the lowest observed value of 155 on August 26 and 65% below the highest observed value of 3,874 on April 27. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 34 (2 less than yesterday - down 5.6%), 209% above the lowest observed value of 11 on September 9 and 81% below the highest observed value of 175 on April 24.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,941, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 23, the 7 day hospitalization average was 892, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 3.1% (or 4.82% excluding higher education).
Day-to-day cases and deaths down, but it's Monday and the number of tests is down even more, so that's probably weekend reporting delays rather than any sort of improvement in the pandemic. Positivity is up, as are all the hospitalization counts. And the MWRA wastewater sample viral signal is still well above the April highs.
Unfortunately, Governor Baker is ... not doing a whole lot about this upsurge. He announced today that hospitals would curtail elective procedures as of Friday:
That's something, to be sure; as are the additional free testing sites, and the first admissions to the Worcester field hospital. But it ain't what I'd call a heck of a lot of something, and I'm not taking today's drop in cases as a sign of anything other than Monday.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 57 active and 415 cumulative cases as of December 6. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 6PM on November 30 reported 334 cumulative cases with 44 individuals in isolation, 268 persons recovered and 22 fatalities.
Of the Commonwealth's four "key metrics" listed on page 2 of the report, the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 3,509 (103 more than yesterday - up 3.0%), 2,135% above the lowest observed value of 157 on July 4 and 15% below the highest observed value of 4,099 on December 3. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 5.5% (0 more than yesterday - up 2.1%), 605% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 21 and 80% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on April 15. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 1,361 (49 more than yesterday - up 3.7%), 778% above the lowest observed value of 155 on August 26 and 65% below the highest observed value of 3,874 on April 27. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 34 (2 less than yesterday - down 5.6%), 209% above the lowest observed value of 11 on September 9 and 81% below the highest observed value of 175 on April 24.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,941, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 23, the 7 day hospitalization average was 892, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 3.1% (or 4.82% excluding higher education).
Day-to-day cases and deaths down, but it's Monday and the number of tests is down even more, so that's probably weekend reporting delays rather than any sort of improvement in the pandemic. Positivity is up, as are all the hospitalization counts. And the MWRA wastewater sample viral signal is still well above the April highs.
Unfortunately, Governor Baker is ... not doing a whole lot about this upsurge. He announced today that hospitals would curtail elective procedures as of Friday:
Governor Charlie Baker said Monday that hospitals in Massachusetts effective Friday will temporarily curtail inpatient elective surgeries that can safely be put off amid the recent spike in coronavirus infections.
"Our hospitals are working day and night to provide the critical care to people that they need," Baker said during his regular State House briefing.
He said that starting Friday, hospitals will "curtail elective procedures that can be safely postponed. This action will free up necessary staffing and beds."
The governor also announced an expansion of the state's free COVID-19 testing program.
"Today's plan includes three new free express testing locations in Framingham, New Bedford and Lynn," Baker said, adding that the locations "will have the capacity to do up to 1,000 tests per day per site. The Framingham location is launching today, and the rest will be open and operational by the end of December."
Other parts of the state will see more testing resources as well.
"Today we're also announcing the expansion of free testing in four counties: Barnstable, Berkshire, Franklin and Hampshire," Baker said. "And western Mass. free testing sites will be coming to Amherst, Great Barrington, Greenfield, North Adams, and Pittsfield."
[ ... ]
Baker was also pressed on whether more COVID-related restrictions could be coming.
"We're taking a good look at the data as we have been post-Thanksgiving," he said. "And I fully expect that at some point we'll make some decisions with respect to that. ... We'll have more to say about that soon."
The governor also acknowledged that some mayors would like to see more aggressive action by the state.
"I talked to several mayors over the weekend who are frustrated with me, and frustrated generally, okay?" Baker said. "But to a person, they all said that they see in their communities, all the time, people engaging in risky activity that we have all been talking about as the sort of thing that you should seek to avoid."
That's something, to be sure; as are the additional free testing sites, and the first admissions to the Worcester field hospital. But it ain't what I'd call a heck of a lot of something, and I'm not taking today's drop in cases as a sign of anything other than Monday.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 57 active and 415 cumulative cases as of December 6. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 6PM on November 30 reported 334 cumulative cases with 44 individuals in isolation, 268 persons recovered and 22 fatalities.