Massachusetts passes over 70,000 COVID-19 cases, over 4,200 dead, Baker tours Merrow Manufacturing

Massachusetts has seen 1,184 more positive cases in the last 24 hours. An increase from the previous 24 hour period.

The Massachusetts Department of Health statistics show a rise in total cases to 70,271 with 122 more reported dead for a total of 4,212.

Massachusetts had seen 1,000 more positive cases in the previous 24 hour period.

9,081 tests were performed, just over 500 less than the total released yesterday, to increase the overall total to 333,349.

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Today, Governor Baker’s COVID-19 press conference took place at Merrow Manufacturing in Fall River after a tour of the facility. Merrow has been making PPE for Massachusetts and Rhode Island at a lightning pace while meeting strict FDA guidelines.

Merrow Manufacturing in Fall River, an 8th generation family-owned and -operated company is participating in the Administration’s Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (M-ERT). This initiative assists local manufacturers in transitioning operations to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) and other critical items needed to support the Commonwealth’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.

According to Merrow, the partnership with the M-ERT has allowed the company to scale its diverse manufacturing operations to become the largest manufacturer of USA-sourced PPE reusable and disposable medical isolation gowns in the country. This collaboration is projected to produce 650,000 gowns per week by July 2020, establishing a new, substantial and secure supply chain for essential medical products nationwide. Their operations have also pivoted to produce surgical caps, gaiters and pillow cases.

In addition to providing essential PPE for frontline medical workers battling COVID-19, Merrow Manufacturing’s M-ERT efforts has so far created 41 new manufacturing jobs for local workers, employing 1,200 total to build Merrow PPE products across all of their factories, and estimate the company will invest approximately $5 million into the City of Fall River this year.

Cases by City and Town as of April 28th
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• Massachusetts residents subject to COVID-19 quarantine by current status up to April 28th, 2020
• Total of individuals subject to quarantine: 27,939
• Total of individuals who have completed monitoring (no longer in quarantine): 17,659
• Total of individuals currently undergoing monitoring/under quarantine: 10,280

According to the CDC, as of May 5th, the total amount of cases in the country is 1,171,510 with 68,279 dead.