Local COVID-19 updates
Dec. 28th, 2020 05:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 48 newly reported confirmed deaths (52 less than yesterday - down 52.0%) for a total of 11,900 deaths, 4,060 newly reported confirmed cases (1,087 more than yesterday - up 36.6%) for a total of 342,764 cases, and 49,772 newly reported molecular tests (8,441 more than yesterday - up 20.4%). The seven day average positivity rate is 6.68%, compared to 6.28% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 7.73%, compared to 7.32% yesterday. The number of estimated active cases was 80,620 (1,932 more than yesterday - up 2.5%). The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 258 and 138 newly reported probable cases (23 less than yesterday - down 14.3%) for a total of 14,170. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 48 new deaths for a total of 12,158 and 4,198 new cases for a total of 356,934. There were 2,230 COVID-19 patients in hospital (74 more than yesterday - up 3.4%), 430 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (14 more than yesterday - up 3.4%) and 234 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (4 more than yesterday - up 1.7%).
Of the Commonwealth's four "key metrics" listed on page 2 of the report, the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 3,035 (253 more than yesterday - up 9.1%), 1,833% above the lowest observed value of 157 on July 4 and 37% below the highest observed value of 4,778 on December 7. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 6.7% (0 more than yesterday - up 6.5%), 767% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 21 and 76% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on April 15. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 2,103 (34 more than yesterday - up 1.6%), 1,256% above the lowest observed value of 155 on August 26 and 46% below the highest observed value of 3,874 on April 27. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 49 (1 less than yesterday - down 2.0%), 345% above the lowest observed value of 11 on September 9 and 72% below the highest observed value of 175 on April 24.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 3,584, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 43, the 7 day hospitalization average was 1,644, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 5.7% (or 7.70% excluding higher education).
Day-by-day deaths down, which is good; however, new cases, test positivity, estimated active cases, and hospitalization counts are all up, which is bad. In fact, that hospitalization count is the highest value reported since May 23.
And things aren't going to get much better any soon, considering that yesterday saw more people being screened by the Transportation Security Agency at the nation's airports than any other day since the pandemic hit:
Obviously, lots of folks stayed at home this year compared to last. But that's still an awful lot of folks traveling in crowded spaces. Here comes the Christmas surge ...
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 44 active and 514 cumulative cases as of December 28. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 9PM on December 15 reported 433 cumulative cases with 63 individuals in isolation, 345 persons recovered and 25 fatalities.
Of the Commonwealth's four "key metrics" listed on page 2 of the report, the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 3,035 (253 more than yesterday - up 9.1%), 1,833% above the lowest observed value of 157 on July 4 and 37% below the highest observed value of 4,778 on December 7. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 6.7% (0 more than yesterday - up 6.5%), 767% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on September 21 and 76% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on April 15. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 2,103 (34 more than yesterday - up 1.6%), 1,256% above the lowest observed value of 155 on August 26 and 46% below the highest observed value of 3,874 on April 27. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 49 (1 less than yesterday - down 2.0%), 345% above the lowest observed value of 11 on September 9 and 72% below the highest observed value of 175 on April 24.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 3,584, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 43, the 7 day hospitalization average was 1,644, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 5.7% (or 7.70% excluding higher education).
Day-by-day deaths down, which is good; however, new cases, test positivity, estimated active cases, and hospitalization counts are all up, which is bad. In fact, that hospitalization count is the highest value reported since May 23.
And things aren't going to get much better any soon, considering that yesterday saw more people being screened by the Transportation Security Agency at the nation's airports than any other day since the pandemic hit:
The Transportation Security Administration screened more travelers nationwide on Sunday than at any time since the start of the pandemic, according to an agency spokeswoman, despite repeated warnings from elected officials and public health experts to stay home during the holidays to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to TSA data, 1,284,599 passengers were screened on Dec. 27. While that’s down dramatically from 2,575,985 on the same date in 2019, the total still marks a high point for air travel screenings during the COVID outbreak.
Lisa Farbstein, an agency spokeswoman, tweeted that Sunday’s total of screened travelers nationwide was "the highest checkpoint throughput since the pandemic hit. It is also the 6th day in the last 10 that volume has surpassed 1M. If you choose to travel, please wear a mask."
In the days leading up to Christmas, Governor Charlie Baker and Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh repeatedly urged Massachusetts residents not to travel for the holidays and to celebrate in-person with their immediate households only, in an effort to combat transmission of the virus.
[ ... ]
The TSA screened 1,191,123 travelers at airport checkpoints nationwide on Dec. 23 this year, down from 1,937,235 in in 2019, agency data shows.
Additional tallies this year showed that 846,520 passengers were screened on Christmas Eve, down sharply from 2,552,194 in 2019; 616,469 on Christmas, down from 2,582,580 last year; 1,128,773 on Dec. 26, compared with 2,470,786 in 2019.
Obviously, lots of folks stayed at home this year compared to last. But that's still an awful lot of folks traveling in crowded spaces. Here comes the Christmas surge ...
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 44 active and 514 cumulative cases as of December 28. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 9PM on December 15 reported 433 cumulative cases with 63 individuals in isolation, 345 persons recovered and 25 fatalities.