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Residents are urged to remain vigilant against the spread of COVID-19 as the community remains at high risk for the disease. Residents are strongly encouraged to avoid high risk activities, especially indoor social or holiday gatherings, and all Massachusetts residents are under orders from the Governor to wear masks at all times while in public.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), residents should take the following precautions this holiday season:
Lmit in-Person Celebrations to Household Members Only.
Postpone or cancel travel this holiday season. If you do choose to travel, be aware of and comply with Massachusetts travel order requirements. Note: Hawaii is currently the only state where people can travel from to Massachusetts without being required to fill out the state’s travel form and quarantine and/or produce a negative COVID-19 test result.
Mass. COVID Death Toll Tops 12,000
A medical worker conducts a rapid diagnostic test (RPT) for coronavirus.
Massachusetts reported an additional 118 coronavirus deaths Wednesday, the most in a single day since May, as the death toll topped 12,000.
State health officials also reported 6,135 new COVID-19 cases, nearly a single-day record for Massachusetts.
The jump in cases comes amid warnings that Massachusetts would see a new surge starting five to seven days after Christmas.
There have now been 12,076 confirmed deaths and 352,558, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Another 262 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.
The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, has increased to 8.4%, according to the report.
If public health officials are correct and a post-Christmas coronavirus surge brings COVID-19 case numbers ever higher, Central Massachusetts will begin with a few hundred available hospital beds, a shrinking but still-high rate compared to many other regions.
Even as case and hospitalization numbers have risen since before Thanksgiving, bed capacity in Central Massachusetts is not nearly as tight as in other parts of the country, where headlines have told narrowing tails of a lack of available space for patients, particularly in rural areas.
As of Monday, 63% of Central Massachusetts roughly 250 intensive care beds were filled, as were 80% of the remaining 1,000-plus hospital beds, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. That compares to 50% and 67%, respectively, a month prior, when virus cases were lower.
Mass. Confirms 3,659 More COVID Cases, 58 New Deaths
Massachusetts reported 3,659 new confirmed coronavirus cases Tuesday and an additional 58 deaths.
There have now been 11,958 confirmed deaths and 346,423 cases, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Another 260 deaths are considered probably linked to COVID-19.
The percentage of coronavirus tests coming back positive, on average, has risen to 7.6%, according to the report.
The number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 has increased to 2,259. Of that number, 431 were listed as being in intensive care units and 225 are intubated, according to DPH.
Walsh called the death toll, which stands at 1,002, a painful reminder that we must all stay vigilant and continue to adhere to the safety measures that help stem the spread of this terrible virus.
Old Rochester Regional School District reports 70th COVID case
Wicked Local
MATTAPOISETT - Superintendent Michael S. Nelson, Mattapoisett Town Administrator Michael C. Lorenco and Mattapoisett Board of Health Chair Carmelo Nicolosi report that the Old Rochester Regional School District was informed of two positive cases of COVID-19 at the Old Rochester Regional School District (one at the Junior High School and one at the Senior High School) in Mattapoisett on Dec. 28.
The individuals are associated with the Old Rochester Regional Junior and Senior High Schools and have tested positive for the virus and are self-isolating in accordance with Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocol. These individuals have not been in the school buildings since Dec. 18 (positive case at the ORR High School) and Dec. 17 (positive case at the ORR Junior High School). Under state and federal health privacy laws, no further information is availabl