Local COVID-19 updates
Apr. 28th, 2021 06:12 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 12 newly reported confirmed deaths (8 more than yesterday - up 200.0%) for a total of 17,227 deaths, 1,392 newly reported confirmed cases (567 more than yesterday - up 68.7%) for a total of 643,428 cases, and 102,432 newly reported molecular tests (51,049 more than yesterday - up 99.3%). The seven day average positivity rate is 1.71%, compared to 1.71% yesterday. Excluding higher education, the seven day average positivity rate is 2.92%, compared to 2.97% yesterday. The number of estimated active cases was 27,321 (722 less than yesterday - down 2.6%). The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 351 and 221 newly reported probable cases (81 more than yesterday - up 57.9%) for a total of 42,815. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 12 new deaths for a total of 17,578 and 1,613 new cases for a total of 686,243. There were 594 COVID-19 patients in hospital (34 less than yesterday - down 5.4%), 153 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (5 less than yesterday - down 3.2%) and 89 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (4 less than yesterday - down 4.3%).
Today being Wednesday, the weekly data points were also updated. The average age of hospitalized patients over the past week is 61 (same as last week) while the average age of deaths over the last two weeks is 69 (1 less than last week - down 1.4%). The fourteen-day average test turnaround time (from sample draw to DPH report) is 1.24 (compared to 1.21 last week). The average daily incidence per 100k population over the last 14 days is 20.0 (compared to 24.7 last week).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 916.0 (4 less than yesterday - down 0.4%), 483% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 86.0% below the highest observed value of 6,238.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 1.71% (0 more than yesterday - up 0.0%), 122% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 94% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 637.0 (14 less than yesterday - down 2.2%), 310% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 84% 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 (same as yesterday), 0% above the lowest observed value of 8.0 on 4/26/2021 and 96% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,177 non-ICU beds, of which 7,512 (81.9%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 441 (4.8%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,224 (13.3%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,385 ICU beds, of which 884 (63.8%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 153 (11.0%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 348 (25.1%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,050 non-ICU beds, of which 6,895 (76.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 470 (5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,685 (18.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,368 ICU beds, of which 803 (58.7%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 158 (11.5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 407 (29.8%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,439.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 9.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 714.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 2.39% (or 4.21% excluding higher education).
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Cases and deaths both up day-to-day, which doesn't really make yesterday's announcements of more and more restrictions being lifted look like a terribly good idea. On the other hand, the estimated active case count and the hospitalization counts are all down, which is good to see, the seven-day averages are down or nearly constant day-over-day and all down compared to two weeks ago, and the fourteen-day daily incidence rate is down quite a bit, so that's all to the good.
In vaccination news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that there's now clinical proof that the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines cut COVID-19 hospitalizations in the elderly by huge amounts:
Alas, no word yet on effectiveness for folks under 65, but this evidence is ... remarkably strong. The full report is available on the CDC website.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 13 active and 952 cumulative cases as of April 27. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 6PM on April 27, 2021 reported 951 cumulative cases with 13 individuals in isolation, 906 persons recovered and 32 fatalities; that's 37 more cumulative cases, 54 more persons recovered and (thankfully!) no more fatalities than the previous update at 4:45PM on April 13, 2021.
Today being Wednesday, the weekly data points were also updated. The average age of hospitalized patients over the past week is 61 (same as last week) while the average age of deaths over the last two weeks is 69 (1 less than last week - down 1.4%). The fourteen-day average test turnaround time (from sample draw to DPH report) is 1.24 (compared to 1.21 last week). The average daily incidence per 100k population over the last 14 days is 20.0 (compared to 24.7 last week).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 916.0 (4 less than yesterday - down 0.4%), 483% above the lowest observed value of 157.0 on 7/4/2020 and 86.0% below the highest observed value of 6,238.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 1.71% (0 more than yesterday - up 0.0%), 122% above the lowest observed value of 0.8% on 9/21/2020 and 94% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 637.0 (14 less than yesterday - down 2.2%), 310% above the lowest observed value of 155.0 on 8/26/2020 and 84% 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 (same as yesterday), 0% above the lowest observed value of 8.0 on 4/26/2021 and 96% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,177 non-ICU beds, of which 7,512 (81.9%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 441 (4.8%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,224 (13.3%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,385 ICU beds, of which 884 (63.8%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 153 (11.0%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 348 (25.1%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 9,050 non-ICU beds, of which 6,895 (76.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 470 (5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,685 (18.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,368 ICU beds, of which 803 (58.7%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 158 (11.5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 407 (29.8%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 1,439.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 9.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 714.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 2.39% (or 4.21% excluding higher education).
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Cases and deaths both up day-to-day, which doesn't really make yesterday's announcements of more and more restrictions being lifted look like a terribly good idea. On the other hand, the estimated active case count and the hospitalization counts are all down, which is good to see, the seven-day averages are down or nearly constant day-over-day and all down compared to two weeks ago, and the fourteen-day daily incidence rate is down quite a bit, so that's all to the good.
In vaccination news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that there's now clinical proof that the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines cut COVID-19 hospitalizations in the elderly by huge amounts:
They thought vaccinations would work. Now there's real-world evidence that they do.
The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines protect against COVID-19-related hospitalization among adults 65 years and older, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday in a new assessment.
Fully vaccinated people 65 years and older were 94 percent less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than people of the same age who were not vaccinated. People 65 and older who only got one shot of the two-shot vaccines were 64 percent less likely, the CDC said.
Didn't we know that already? Sort of.
The new study confirms the findings of clinical trials done before the vaccines were authorized.
The CDC said it was the "first real-world findings in the United States" confirming the clinical trial data that showed the vaccines prevented severe COVID-19.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said in a statement, "These findings are encouraging and welcome news for the two-thirds of people aged 65 and up who are already fully vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective and these real-world findings confirm the benefits seen in clinical trials, preventing hospitalizations among those most vulnerable. The results are promising for our communities and hospitals. As our vaccination efforts continue to expand, COVID-19 patients will not overwhelm health care systems – leaving hospital staff, beds, and services available for people who need them for other medical conditions."
An important caveat for those who have just gotten their shots: The CDC noted that the new study also confirmed that people don't get any protection until two weeks after their first shot.
"Vaccination provided no protection to people who had received their first dose fewer than two weeks earlier. It takes two weeks for the body to form an immune response after vaccination," the CDC said in a statement.
Alas, no word yet on effectiveness for folks under 65, but this evidence is ... remarkably strong. The full report is available on the CDC website.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 13 active and 952 cumulative cases as of April 27. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 6PM on April 27, 2021 reported 951 cumulative cases with 13 individuals in isolation, 906 persons recovered and 32 fatalities; that's 37 more cumulative cases, 54 more persons recovered and (thankfully!) no more fatalities than the previous update at 4:45PM on April 13, 2021.