Local COVID-19 updates
Apr. 1st, 2021 05:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 32 newly reported confirmed deaths (4 less than yesterday - down 11.1%) for a total of 16,876 deaths, 2,455 newly reported confirmed cases (203 more than yesterday - up 9.0%) for a total of 600,632 cases, and 107,740 newly reported molecular tests (7,713 less than yesterday - down 6.7%). The seven day average positivity rate is 2.49%, compared to 2.53% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 4.22%, compared to 4.26% yesterday. The number of estimated active cases was 32,868 (957 more than yesterday - up 3.0%). The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (1 less than yesterday) for a total of 341 and 304 newly reported probable cases (57 more than yesterday - up 23.1%) for a total of 37,707. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 32 new deaths for a total of 17,217 and 2,759 new cases for a total of 638,339. There were 700 COVID-19 patients in hospital (10 more than yesterday - up 1.4%), 166 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (3 less than yesterday - down 1.8%) and 86 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (7 less than yesterday - down 7.5%).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 1,588.0 (25 more than yesterday - up 1.6%), 911% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 75.0% below the highest observed value of 6,239.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.49% (0 less than yesterday - down 1.6%), 223% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 91% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 668.0 (10 more than yesterday - up 1.5%), 330% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 83% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 27.0 (2 more than yesterday - up 8.0%), 145% above the lowest observed value of 11.0 on 9/9/2020 and 85% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,230 non-ICU beds, of which 7,411 (80.3%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 534 (5.8%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,285 (13.9%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,398 ICU beds, of which 906 (64.8%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 166 (11.9%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 326 (23.3%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,225 non-ICU beds, of which 7,356 (79.7%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 521 (6%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,348 (14.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,400 ICU beds, of which 890 (63.6%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 169 (12.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 341 (24.4%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,130.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 27.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 632.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 1.93% (or 3.41% excluding higher education).
Today being Thursday, the state also included city/town specific information in the daily download. My town of Acton is listed as having 833 total cases, with a two-week case count of 26 cases, a daily incidence rate of 7.8 which is the same than last week, and a risk color code of green. Acton is also listed as having 39,792 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 2,123 and a two-week positive test count of 26, for a percent-positive rate of 1.22 which is the same than last week. The corresponding statewide figures are 598,177 total cases, with a two-week case count of 24,984 cases, a daily incidence rate of 25.6 which is higher than last week, and a risk color code of yellow. Massachusetts is also listed as having 18,821,008 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 1,184,358 and a two-week positive test count of 27,932, for a percent-positive rate of 2.36 which is higher than last week.
Of the 351 cites and towns in the Commonwealth, 101 are coded gray (compared to 112 last week), 23 are coded green (compared to 28 last week), and 172 are coded yellow (compared to 179 last week). The remaining 55 towns are coded red (compared to 32 last week): Abington, Adams, Athol, Ayer, Barnstable, Blackstone, Brewster, Brockton, Canton, Carver, Chicopee, Dennis, Dracut, Everett, Fall River, Framingham, Freetown, Granby, Halifax, Hampden, Hanson, Harwich, Lakeville, Lawrence, Lowell, Ludlow, Lynn, Mansfield, Mashpee, Methuen, Milford, Monson, Nantucket, New Bedford, North Attleborough, Orange, Palmer, Peabody, Pembroke, Plainville, Plymouth, Raynham, Sandwich, Saugus, Seekonk, Southborough, Springfield, Sutton, Templeton, Tyngsborough, Ware, West Boylston, West Bridgewater, Williamstown, and Yarmouth.
29 cities/towns are newly coded red this week (Abington, Adams, Athol, Ayer, Brockton, Canton, Carver, Dracut, Everett, Framingham, Granby, Halifax, Hampden, Lakeville, Ludlow, Mansfield, Milford, Nantucket, Orange, Peabody, Raynham, Saugus, Seekonk, Southborough, Springfield, Tyngsborough, Ware, West Boylston, and Williamstown) and 6 cities/towns are no longer coded red this week (Bellingham, Haverhill, Lancaster, Lee, Millis, and Southwick).
Of the 10 towns near my church, 3 are coded gray (Berlin, Boxborough, and Harvard), 2 are coded green (Acton, and Bolton), 5 are coded yellow (Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Stow, and Sudbury), and none are coded red.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-to-day, deaths are down a bit, but cases are up and tests are down, neither of which is good. The seven-day percent-positive rate is down a tad, but the estimated active cases count is up, as was the overall count of COVID-19 patients in hospital. The other seven-day averages (cases, deaths and hospitalizations) were all up compared to yesterday, and the seven-day averages for cases, percent-positive and hospitalizations are all well above where they were two weeks ago.
The city/town data is even worse. The state is now up to 55 communities in the highest-risk category, up from 32 last week and 20 the week before.
I still can't find any indication that Governor Charlie Baker is addressing these rising case numbers. The Boston Globe does report that Baker expects to learn next week what impact manufacturing problems will have on the state's supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine:
Well, at least Baker is asking people nicely not to congregate over the Passover and Easter holidays. Apart from that, though, I can't tell if he even cares anymore about the case counts going up.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 30 active and 863 cumulative cases as of April 1. The figures for March 30 were 20 active and 848 cumulative cases; those for March 31 were 24 active and 852 cumulative cases. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 2PM on March 19, 2021 reported 813 cumulative cases with 9 individuals in isolation, 772 persons recovered and 32 fatalities.
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 1,588.0 (25 more than yesterday - up 1.6%), 911% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 75.0% below the highest observed value of 6,239.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.49% (0 less than yesterday - down 1.6%), 223% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 91% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 668.0 (10 more than yesterday - up 1.5%), 330% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 83% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 27.0 (2 more than yesterday - up 8.0%), 145% above the lowest observed value of 11.0 on 9/9/2020 and 85% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,230 non-ICU beds, of which 7,411 (80.3%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 534 (5.8%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,285 (13.9%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,398 ICU beds, of which 906 (64.8%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 166 (11.9%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 326 (23.3%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,225 non-ICU beds, of which 7,356 (79.7%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 521 (6%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,348 (14.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,400 ICU beds, of which 890 (63.6%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 169 (12.1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 341 (24.4%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,130.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 27.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 632.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 1.93% (or 3.41% excluding higher education).
Today being Thursday, the state also included city/town specific information in the daily download. My town of Acton is listed as having 833 total cases, with a two-week case count of 26 cases, a daily incidence rate of 7.8 which is the same than last week, and a risk color code of green. Acton is also listed as having 39,792 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 2,123 and a two-week positive test count of 26, for a percent-positive rate of 1.22 which is the same than last week. The corresponding statewide figures are 598,177 total cases, with a two-week case count of 24,984 cases, a daily incidence rate of 25.6 which is higher than last week, and a risk color code of yellow. Massachusetts is also listed as having 18,821,008 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 1,184,358 and a two-week positive test count of 27,932, for a percent-positive rate of 2.36 which is higher than last week.
Of the 351 cites and towns in the Commonwealth, 101 are coded gray (compared to 112 last week), 23 are coded green (compared to 28 last week), and 172 are coded yellow (compared to 179 last week). The remaining 55 towns are coded red (compared to 32 last week): Abington, Adams, Athol, Ayer, Barnstable, Blackstone, Brewster, Brockton, Canton, Carver, Chicopee, Dennis, Dracut, Everett, Fall River, Framingham, Freetown, Granby, Halifax, Hampden, Hanson, Harwich, Lakeville, Lawrence, Lowell, Ludlow, Lynn, Mansfield, Mashpee, Methuen, Milford, Monson, Nantucket, New Bedford, North Attleborough, Orange, Palmer, Peabody, Pembroke, Plainville, Plymouth, Raynham, Sandwich, Saugus, Seekonk, Southborough, Springfield, Sutton, Templeton, Tyngsborough, Ware, West Boylston, West Bridgewater, Williamstown, and Yarmouth.
29 cities/towns are newly coded red this week (Abington, Adams, Athol, Ayer, Brockton, Canton, Carver, Dracut, Everett, Framingham, Granby, Halifax, Hampden, Lakeville, Ludlow, Mansfield, Milford, Nantucket, Orange, Peabody, Raynham, Saugus, Seekonk, Southborough, Springfield, Tyngsborough, Ware, West Boylston, and Williamstown) and 6 cities/towns are no longer coded red this week (Bellingham, Haverhill, Lancaster, Lee, Millis, and Southwick).
Of the 10 towns near my church, 3 are coded gray (Berlin, Boxborough, and Harvard), 2 are coded green (Acton, and Bolton), 5 are coded yellow (Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Stow, and Sudbury), and none are coded red.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-to-day, deaths are down a bit, but cases are up and tests are down, neither of which is good. The seven-day percent-positive rate is down a tad, but the estimated active cases count is up, as was the overall count of COVID-19 patients in hospital. The other seven-day averages (cases, deaths and hospitalizations) were all up compared to yesterday, and the seven-day averages for cases, percent-positive and hospitalizations are all well above where they were two weeks ago.
The city/town data is even worse. The state is now up to 55 communities in the highest-risk category, up from 32 last week and 20 the week before.
I still can't find any indication that Governor Charlie Baker is addressing these rising case numbers. The Boston Globe does report that Baker expects to learn next week what impact manufacturing problems will have on the state's supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine:
Governor Charlie Baker said state officials expect to learn next week how a manufacturing error in Baltimore that ruined about 15 million doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will affect the supply chain of the doses coming to Massachusetts.
"I'm assuming we'll find out some time next week what the impact of that was, or even what the denominator is, in terms of how much vaccine they're actually producing at this point," Baker said during a briefing on Thursday that followed a tour of a Chelsea vaccination site.
[ ... ]
Baker, a Republican, also strongly defended the state's rollout of the vaccine and detailed efforts to reach some of the state's hardest hit communities with mobile vaccination drives.
"By having everyone eligible by Patriots Day, April 19, we will have given the most vulnerable among us in Massachusetts the opportunity that they need to get vaccinated," Baker said.
The governor spoke sharply as he rattled off Massachusetts's vaccine performance compared to other states that have broader eligibility standards.
"Eligibility is one thing. Actually executing on the ground and getting big portions of the people that are eligible vaccinated is another," he said. "And I think the way we've set this up has been the appropriate way with a lot of great guidance from a lot of people on that [state] advisory board from the beginning."
On the vaccine front, Baker said a new mobile initiative is launching next week.
"We'll be working with municipalities to launch mobile vaccination efforts in Chelsea, Revere, Boston, Fall River, and New Bedford," the governor said. "And like the Hynes Convention Center and other federally supported sites around the country, these sites were selected based on the CDC special vulnerability index and their proximity to the Hynes. These mobile efforts will ramp up over time. ... Doses will be picked up by the mobile vaccination teams at the Hynes and then distributed and administered in these communities."
He said most of the mobile units and pop-up clinics will be set up in city parks, parking lots and other highly accessible public places.
He also urged Massachusetts residents to exercise caution during Passover and Easter celebrations in an effort to combat the spread of COVID-19, and he detailed a mobile vaccination campaign effort to be launched next week in hard-hit communities.
"Obviously Passover started last weekend, and Easter is coming up this weekend," Baker told reporters. "We know these holidays are very important to people, and they're a very significant for folks to gather with family and friends."
Well, at least Baker is asking people nicely not to congregate over the Passover and Easter holidays. Apart from that, though, I can't tell if he even cares anymore about the case counts going up.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 30 active and 863 cumulative cases as of April 1. The figures for March 30 were 20 active and 848 cumulative cases; those for March 31 were 24 active and 852 cumulative cases. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 2PM on March 19, 2021 reported 813 cumulative cases with 9 individuals in isolation, 772 persons recovered and 32 fatalities.