Local COVID-19 updates
Apr. 15th, 2021 05:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 5 newly reported confirmed deaths (9 less than yesterday - down 64.3%) for a total of 17,087 deaths, 1,884 newly reported confirmed cases (120 less than yesterday - down 6.0%) for a total of 626,550 cases, and 101,521 newly reported molecular tests (12,735 less than yesterday - down 11.1%). The seven day average positivity rate is 2.30%, compared to 2.39% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 4.09%, compared to 4.21% yesterday. The number of estimated active cases was 35,478 (308 less than yesterday - down 0.9%). The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 345 and 239 newly reported probable cases (1 less than yesterday - down 0.4%) for a total of 40,516. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 5 new deaths for a total of 17,432 and 2,123 new cases for a total of 667,066. There were 710 COVID-19 patients in hospital (1 less than yesterday - down 0.1%), 162 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (3 more than yesterday - up 1.9%) and 102 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (1 more than yesterday - up 1.0%).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 1,395.0 (44 less than yesterday - down 3.1%), 788% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 78.0% below the highest observed value of 6,239.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.30% (0 less than yesterday - down 3.4%), 199% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 92% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 708.0 (6 less than yesterday - down 0.8%), 356% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 82% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 8.0 (1 less than yesterday - down 11.1%), 0% above the lowest observed value of 8.0 on 4/13/2021 and 96% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,262 non-ICU beds, of which 7,606 (82.1%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 548 (5.9%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,108 (12.0%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,385 ICU beds, of which 887 (64.0%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 162 (11.7%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 336 (24.3%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,227 non-ICU beds, of which 7,573 (82.1%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 552 (6%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,102 (11.9%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,381 ICU beds, of which 875 (63.4%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 159 (11.5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 347 (25.1%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,588.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 27.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 668.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 2.49% (or 4.22% 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 889 total cases, with a two-week case count of 59 cases, a daily incidence rate of 17.8 which is higher than last week, and a risk color code of yellow. Acton is also listed as having 42,095 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 2,270 and a two-week positive test count of 64, for a percent-positive rate of 2.82 which is higher than last week. The corresponding statewide figures are 624,666 total cases, with a two-week case count of 26,717 cases, a daily incidence rate of 27.4 which is lower than last week, and a risk color code of gray. Massachusetts is also listed as having 20,045,384 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 1,219,299 and a two-week positive test count of 30,290, for a percent-positive rate of 2.48 which is the same than last week.
Of the 351 cites and towns in the Commonwealth, 100 are coded gray (compared to 97 last week), 22 are coded green (compared to 23 last week), and 170 are coded yellow (compared to 154 last week). The remaining 59 towns are coded red (compared to 77 last week): Adams, Avon, Ayer, Barnstable, Brewster, Brockton, Chelmsford, Chicopee, Dennis, Dighton, Dracut, Edgartown, Fall River, Freetown, Hamilton, Hanson, Harwich, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lee, Littleton, Lowell, Ludlow, Lynn, Mashpee, Methuen, Middleborough, Milford, Monson, Nantucket, New Bedford, Oak Bluffs, Orange, Paxton, Plainville, Plymouth, Rehoboth, Revere, Saugus, Seekonk, Somerset, Southwick, Springfield, Sterling, Sutton, Swansea, Taunton, Templeton, Tisbury, Tyngsborough, Wareham, West Boylston, West Bridgewater, West Springfield, Westport, Whitman, Williamstown, and Yarmouth.
7 cities/towns are newly coded red this week (Avon, Harwich, Haverhill, Lee, Southwick, Sterling, and Templeton) and 25 cities/towns are no longer coded red this week (Abington, Athol, Billerica, Blackstone, Carver, Chatham, East Longmeadow, Everett, Framingham, Granby, Halifax, Hampden, Hopedale, Hull, Lakeville, Mansfield, Palmer, Peabody, Raynham, Sandwich, Southampton, Southborough, Ware, Wenham, and Winchendon).
Of the 10 towns near my church, 2 are coded gray (Berlin, and Harvard), 2 are coded green (Bolton, and Boxborough), 6 are coded yellow (Acton, Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Stow, and Sudbury), and none are coded red.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Most of the day-to-day changes are for the good: deaths and cases down, positivity down, estimated active cases down, hospitalizations down. ICU and intubation counts are up slightly, which isn't so good. All the seven-day averages are down compared to yesterday, which is always nice to see; three of those four averages (deaths, cases, and percent-positive) are also down compared to two weeks ago, which is even better.
The city and town data isn't so great for my town, which continues to see rising cases, daily incidence and percent-positive numbers. This has been going on all month, and is not what I call good local news. Today, Acton is reporting 17.8 daily cases per 100k population and 2.82% test positivity; on March 25, the town was reporting 7.8 daily cases per 100k population and 1.26% test positivity. On a statewide level, there was a slight drop in the daily incidence rate (still too high at 27.4) and a drop in the number of high-risk communities (from 77 last week to 59 this week).
One milestone worth noting: Massachusetts has broken the twenty-million-test mark, with 20,045,384 total tests as of Wednesday. (I missed seeing that yesterday; my apologies.)
Meanwhile, the state is about to change how it reports COVID-19 deaths in long-term care facilities, which will result in the total reported deaths dropping by 1,200:
This apparently only affects the COVID-19 Weekly Public Health Report; the total number of deaths on the daily dashboard won't be impacted, and thus neither will the stuff I report here.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 38 active and 927 cumulative cases as of April 15. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 4:45PM on April 13, 2021 reported 914 cumulative cases with 30 individuals in isolation, 852 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 1,395.0 (44 less than yesterday - down 3.1%), 788% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 78.0% below the highest observed value of 6,239.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 2.30% (0 less than yesterday - down 3.4%), 199% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 92% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 708.0 (6 less than yesterday - down 0.8%), 356% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 82% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 8.0 (1 less than yesterday - down 11.1%), 0% above the lowest observed value of 8.0 on 4/13/2021 and 96% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,262 non-ICU beds, of which 7,606 (82.1%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 548 (5.9%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,108 (12.0%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,385 ICU beds, of which 887 (64.0%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 162 (11.7%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 336 (24.3%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,227 non-ICU beds, of which 7,573 (82.1%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 552 (6%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,102 (11.9%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,381 ICU beds, of which 875 (63.4%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 159 (11.5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 347 (25.1%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,588.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 27.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 668.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 2.49% (or 4.22% 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 889 total cases, with a two-week case count of 59 cases, a daily incidence rate of 17.8 which is higher than last week, and a risk color code of yellow. Acton is also listed as having 42,095 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 2,270 and a two-week positive test count of 64, for a percent-positive rate of 2.82 which is higher than last week. The corresponding statewide figures are 624,666 total cases, with a two-week case count of 26,717 cases, a daily incidence rate of 27.4 which is lower than last week, and a risk color code of gray. Massachusetts is also listed as having 20,045,384 total tests, with a two-week total test count of 1,219,299 and a two-week positive test count of 30,290, for a percent-positive rate of 2.48 which is the same than last week.
Of the 351 cites and towns in the Commonwealth, 100 are coded gray (compared to 97 last week), 22 are coded green (compared to 23 last week), and 170 are coded yellow (compared to 154 last week). The remaining 59 towns are coded red (compared to 77 last week): Adams, Avon, Ayer, Barnstable, Brewster, Brockton, Chelmsford, Chicopee, Dennis, Dighton, Dracut, Edgartown, Fall River, Freetown, Hamilton, Hanson, Harwich, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lee, Littleton, Lowell, Ludlow, Lynn, Mashpee, Methuen, Middleborough, Milford, Monson, Nantucket, New Bedford, Oak Bluffs, Orange, Paxton, Plainville, Plymouth, Rehoboth, Revere, Saugus, Seekonk, Somerset, Southwick, Springfield, Sterling, Sutton, Swansea, Taunton, Templeton, Tisbury, Tyngsborough, Wareham, West Boylston, West Bridgewater, West Springfield, Westport, Whitman, Williamstown, and Yarmouth.
7 cities/towns are newly coded red this week (Avon, Harwich, Haverhill, Lee, Southwick, Sterling, and Templeton) and 25 cities/towns are no longer coded red this week (Abington, Athol, Billerica, Blackstone, Carver, Chatham, East Longmeadow, Everett, Framingham, Granby, Halifax, Hampden, Hopedale, Hull, Lakeville, Mansfield, Palmer, Peabody, Raynham, Sandwich, Southampton, Southborough, Ware, Wenham, and Winchendon).
Of the 10 towns near my church, 2 are coded gray (Berlin, and Harvard), 2 are coded green (Bolton, and Boxborough), 6 are coded yellow (Acton, Hudson, Marlborough, Maynard, Stow, and Sudbury), and none are coded red.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Most of the day-to-day changes are for the good: deaths and cases down, positivity down, estimated active cases down, hospitalizations down. ICU and intubation counts are up slightly, which isn't so good. All the seven-day averages are down compared to yesterday, which is always nice to see; three of those four averages (deaths, cases, and percent-positive) are also down compared to two weeks ago, which is even better.
The city and town data isn't so great for my town, which continues to see rising cases, daily incidence and percent-positive numbers. This has been going on all month, and is not what I call good local news. Today, Acton is reporting 17.8 daily cases per 100k population and 2.82% test positivity; on March 25, the town was reporting 7.8 daily cases per 100k population and 1.26% test positivity. On a statewide level, there was a slight drop in the daily incidence rate (still too high at 27.4) and a drop in the number of high-risk communities (from 77 last week to 59 this week).
One milestone worth noting: Massachusetts has broken the twenty-million-test mark, with 20,045,384 total tests as of Wednesday. (I missed seeing that yesterday; my apologies.)
Meanwhile, the state is about to change how it reports COVID-19 deaths in long-term care facilities, which will result in the total reported deaths dropping by 1,200:
Massachusetts nursing homes were ground zero for COVID-19, reporting some of the highest death rates in the country, especially in the early months.
But now, more than a year after the pandemic began its ravages, state officials say the death toll was not quite as high as previously reported. They’re revising downward the number of fatalities by more than 1,200, based on a change in the way they report long-term care deaths on the state’s weekly COVID-19 dashboard.
Starting Thursday, the officials said, Massachusetts will adopt the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s widely used National Healthcare Safety Network tracking system. That system doesn’t count as COVID-19 deaths residents and staff at nursing homes and rest homes who recovered from the virus but later died of other causes.
With that change, the number of COVID deaths in Massachusetts nursing homes over the 13-month pandemic will fall from 6,722 to 5,502, a drop of more than 18 percent. The decline would knock Massachusetts out of the top 10 states with the highest nursing home death rates, based on data collected by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Marylou Sudders, the state’s secretary of health and human services, denied state officials were trying to make their response to the pandemic at nursing homes look better by reducing the death count.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo faced intense criticism after it was revealed that his administration had reduced the total number of nursing home deaths by excluding nursing home residents who died at the hospital. Massachusetts officials say they’ve always included residents who were hospitalized in the long-term care death numbers.
The issue in Massachusetts, said Sudders, is just a change in definition to be more consistent with national standards. The state Department of Public Health already collects data under the new standard and submits them to the CDC, but hasn’t posted them on its widely viewed dashboard.
[ ... ]
Until now, the state’s COVID-19 dashboard — updated each Thursday — has used a different CDC standard, the so-called surveillance case definition. That includes in the COVID-19 death count anyone who tested positive and later died, regardless of whether the virus was a cause of the death.
State officials will be reposting weekly death data going back to last year under the new standard. But they said they will retain the previous standard for reporting overall COVID-19 deaths in Massachusetts on the weekly dashboard. As a result, the state’s total COVID-19 death count will not shrink.
State officials said they will include a footnote in this week’s report explaining the change. Information on long-term deaths are self-reported by nursing homes and other facilities.
This apparently only affects the COVID-19 Weekly Public Health Report; the total number of deaths on the daily dashboard won't be impacted, and thus neither will the stuff I report here.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 38 active and 927 cumulative cases as of April 15. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 4:45PM on April 13, 2021 reported 914 cumulative cases with 30 individuals in isolation, 852 persons recovered and 32 fatalities.