Local COVID-19 updates
Jul. 28th, 2021 05:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
edschweppeAs of 5PM today, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is reporting 6 newly reported confirmed deaths (6 less than yesterday - down 50.0%) for a total of 17,703 deaths, 598 newly reported confirmed cases (59 less than yesterday - down 9.0%) for a total of 670,902 cases, and 41,117 newly reported molecular tests (9,836 more than yesterday - up 31.4%).The seven day average positivity rate is 1.87%, compared to 1.83% yesterday. The state also reported zero newly reported probable deaths (same as yesterday) for a total of 368 and 62 newly reported probable cases (113 less than yesterday - down 64.6%) for a total of 47,042. Combining the confirmed and probable numbers gives 6 new deaths for a total of 18,071 and 660 new cases for a total of 717,944. There were 163 COVID-19 patients in hospital (11 more than yesterday - up 7.2%), 36 COVID-19 patients in ICUs (3 more than yesterday - up 9.1%) and 14 COVID-19 patients on ventilators (intubated) (3 less than yesterday - down 17.6%).
Of the four overview trends (formerly the Page 2 "key metrics"), the 7-day average of newly confirmed cases is 408.0 (8 more than yesterday - up 2.0%), 537% above the lowest observed value of 64.0 on 6/25/2021 and 94.0% below the highest observed value of 6,235.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 1.87% (0 more than yesterday - up 2.0%), 507% above the lowest observed value of 0.3% on 6/25/2021 and 93% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 132.0 (8 more than yesterday - up 6.5%), 55% above the lowest observed value of 85.0 on 7/9/2021 and 97% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 3.0 (same as yesterday), 200% above the lowest observed value of 1.0 on 7/12/2021 and 99% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,053 non-ICU beds, of which 7,968 (88.0%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 127 (1.4%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 958 (10.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,331 ICU beds, of which 961 (72.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 36 (2.7%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 334 (25.1%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 8,950 non-ICU beds, of which 7,561 (84.5%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 119 (1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,270 (14.2%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,327 ICU beds, of which 918 (69.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 33 (2.5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 376 (28.3%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 122.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 1.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 92.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 0.72%.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-over-day comparisons are a little better today, as deaths and cases are both down while tests are up from yesterday. However, hospitalizations continue to climb, as do all four of the seven-day averages.
After yesterday's announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of new guidance for mask-wearing (TL;DR: wear 'em indoors in most of the country, including Boston and the Cape and Islands), Governor Charlie Baker continues to ... not make up his mind yet:
I will give him this much: the state's numbers are showing a huge leap in cases but a much smaller leap in hospitalizations, which certainly implies that the vaccines are working well at preventing serious illness. On the other hand, one of the main reasons the CDC gave for recommending masking by the vaccinated was their having found evidence of vaccinated people getting infected with the Delta variant and then infecting others - and over a quarter of the state's population is still unvaccinated. Including every kid under twelve years of age who hasn't been enrolled in an Phase III study.
For what it's worth, I would suggest strongly to His Dont-Worry-Be-Happy-Ness the Governor that the state should be reporting daily on which cities, towns and/or counties exceed the CDC thresholds for "substantial or high transmission" and that the indoor (and outdoors-in-crowds) mask mandates be reinstated in such communities. It'd also be really nice if the state started reporting including vaccination status in their cases/hospitalizations/deaths data. And, for that matter, a simple PTO mandate for the employers of those who haven't already gotten the shots would probably help a fair amount. On the other hand, Baker is still a business-friendly Republican (for all his pointed non-Trumpiness), and getting him to do anything that annoys the business community is ... tricky, to say the least.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 9 active and 998 cumulative cases as of July 27. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 11:45AM on May 28, 2021 reported 978 cumulative cases with 3 individuals in isolation, 943 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 408.0 (8 more than yesterday - up 2.0%), 537% above the lowest observed value of 64.0 on 6/25/2021 and 94.0% below the highest observed value of 6,235.0 on 1/8/2021. The 7-day weighted average of positive molecular test rate is 1.87% (0 more than yesterday - up 2.0%), 507% above the lowest observed value of 0.3% on 6/25/2021 and 93% below the highest observed value of 27.7% on 4/15/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 patients in hospital is 132.0 (8 more than yesterday - up 6.5%), 55% above the lowest observed value of 85.0 on 7/9/2021 and 97% below the highest observed value of 3,874.0 on 4/27/2020. The 7-day average number of COVID-19 deaths is 3.0 (same as yesterday), 200% above the lowest observed value of 1.0 on 7/12/2021 and 99% below the highest observed value of 175.0 on 4/24/2020.
Statewide, hospitals reported 9,053 non-ICU beds, of which 7,968 (88.0%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 127 (1.4%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 958 (10.6%) remained available. Hospitals also reported 1,331 ICU beds, of which 961 (72.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 36 (2.7%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 334 (25.1%) remained available. By comparison, hospitals reported yesterday a total of 8,950 non-ICU beds, of which 7,561 (84.5%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 119 (1%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 1,270 (14.2%) remained available. Hospitals also reported yesterday a total of 1,327 ICU beds, of which 918 (69.2%) were occupied by non-COVID patients, 33 (2.5%) were occupied by COVID patients, and 376 (28.3%) remained available.
Two weeks ago, the 7 day confirmed case average was 122.0, the 7 day confirmed deaths average was 1.0, the 7 day hospitalization average was 92.0, and the 7 day weighted average positivity rate was 0.72%.
The daily raw data file used to create this report is available here.
Day-over-day comparisons are a little better today, as deaths and cases are both down while tests are up from yesterday. However, hospitalizations continue to climb, as do all four of the seven-day averages.
After yesterday's announcement by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of new guidance for mask-wearing (TL;DR: wear 'em indoors in most of the country, including Boston and the Cape and Islands), Governor Charlie Baker continues to ... not make up his mind yet:
Governor Charlie Baker said he is still reviewing new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending masks indoors in high transmission areas, including five counties in Massachusetts, and will have more to say soon.
"We're going to process this. This is a big decision," Baker said Wednesday, adding that he has not yet made a decision about bringing back any restrictions.
The CDC on Tuesday revised its guidance on masking and COVID-19 transmission, recommending that some fully vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors as the Delta variant spreads across the country. New data suggest vaccinated people can spread the virus, the CDC said.
Five Massachusetts counties are considered to have "substantial and high transmission" under the CDC's guidelines: Suffolk (Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop), Bristol (areas around Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, and Attleboro), Barnstable (Cape Cod communities such as Provincetown, Falmouth, Sandwich, Dennis), Nantucket, and Dukes (mostly Martha's Vineyard).
Baker repeatedly emphasized Massachusetts still has among the lowest hospitalization rates and highest vaccination rates in the country.
"Massachusetts is in a much better position than the vast majority of the states in this country with respect to how we deal with and how we're prepared to deal with COVID," Baker said.
He also said he was not currently considering any travel restrictions.
I will give him this much: the state's numbers are showing a huge leap in cases but a much smaller leap in hospitalizations, which certainly implies that the vaccines are working well at preventing serious illness. On the other hand, one of the main reasons the CDC gave for recommending masking by the vaccinated was their having found evidence of vaccinated people getting infected with the Delta variant and then infecting others - and over a quarter of the state's population is still unvaccinated. Including every kid under twelve years of age who hasn't been enrolled in an Phase III study.
For what it's worth, I would suggest strongly to His Dont-Worry-Be-Happy-Ness the Governor that the state should be reporting daily on which cities, towns and/or counties exceed the CDC thresholds for "substantial or high transmission" and that the indoor (and outdoors-in-crowds) mask mandates be reinstated in such communities. It'd also be really nice if the state started reporting including vaccination status in their cases/hospitalizations/deaths data. And, for that matter, a simple PTO mandate for the employers of those who haven't already gotten the shots would probably help a fair amount. On the other hand, Baker is still a business-friendly Republican (for all his pointed non-Trumpiness), and getting him to do anything that annoys the business community is ... tricky, to say the least.
The town of Acton's current Google Data Studio dashboard is showing 9 active and 998 cumulative cases as of July 27. The most recent "newsflash style update" at 11:45AM on May 28, 2021 reported 978 cumulative cases with 3 individuals in isolation, 943 persons recovered and 32 fatalities.