Massachusetts sees drop in “red” communities, but New Bedford, Acushnet see increases

Massachusetts saw an increase in cases and deaths in Thursday’s COVID-19 report.

Massachusetts saw 1,431 more positive cases announced today. An increase from Wednesday’s report. The 7 day weighted average positive test rate decreased to 2.00% from 2.14%. On March 8th, the rate was 1.78%.

Massachusetts had seen 1,370 more positive cases announced yesterday.

The Massachusetts Department of Health statistics show a rise in total confirmed cases to 636,476 with 17 more reported dead (17 confirmed, 0 probable) for a total of 17,515 (17,168 confirmed, 347 probable).

The overall amount of tests administered in Massachusetts is now 20,701,850 after 102,071 new molecular tests.

The 7 day average of confirmed COVID-19 deaths increased by 1.2 to 8.6. At the beginning of February, the average death rate was 70+.

Estimated active cases saw a decrease by 900+ to 31,215.

Hospitalizations have increased in 88 of the last 164 days, but saw a decrease of 41 to lower the total to 645. A second straight day of decreases. Before the previous 4+ weeks of mainly increases, COVID-19 hospitalizations had been on the decrease as there were 2,428 in the Bay State on January 4th. Late last month’s total of 580 was the lowest since November 7th.

Nursing home cases and cluster information issued on April 22nd.

Weekly COVID-19 Public Health Report

According to the April 22nd report, Fall River has a 32.4 Average Daily COVID-19 Rate per 100,000 population (Last 14 days) (35.5 last week). New Bedford saw an increase to 36.9 (was 34.9). Westport saw a decrease to 23.5 (was 25.2), Swansea is at 34.0, a decrease, and was 36.3 last week. Somerset saw a decrease as they sit at 25.8 (was 30.5). Freetown stands at 22.1 a decrease from 30.0. Dartmouth is currently at 22.3, a decrease from last week’s 26.0. Acushnet saw 24.6 (was 20.5). Berkley has the highest rate in Bristol County at 48.2.

48 Massachusetts communities are still in the red (high risk) which is down from 59 last week. 77 were in the red the week before. Adams, Ayer, Bellingham, Berkley, Brewster, Brockton, Carver, Chicopee, Dennis, Dracut, Edgartown, Fall River, Freetown, Hampden, Harwich, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Ludlow, Lynn, Methuen, Nantucket, New Bedford, Oak Bluffs, Palmer, Peabody, Plainville, Plymouth, Rehoboth, Revere, Seekonk, Southwick, Springfield, Sterling, Sutton, Swansea, Taunton, Templeton, Tisbury, Townsend, Upton, Wareham, West Boylston, West Bridgewater, Westport, Winchendon, and Yarmouth.

Massachusetts Officials have issued a “vaccine doses administered and shipped” report updated on April 22nd.

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As of April 22nd, according to the CDC, the United States has seen 31,666,546 cases of COVID-19 with 566,494 reported deaths.

(Graphics courtesy of CDC)