COVID-19 Cases on the Rise in Boston

Last week the Back Bay’s weekly and cumulative COVID-19 positive test rate increased–a trend that has begun to sweep the city.

According to the latest data released by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) last Friday, 3,041 residents were tested and 3.4  percent were positive–this was a 17.2 percent increase from the 2.9 percent reported by the BPHC two Fridays ago.

Overall since the pandemic started 48,622 Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, West End and Downtown residents have been tested for COVID-19 and the data shows that 6.6 percent of those tested were COVID positive. This was a 3.1 percentage increase from the 6.4 reported by the BPHC two weeks ago.

Positive test rates continue to rise citywide. According to the BPHC ​​​​28,007 residents were tested and 5.2  percent were COVID positive–this was a 23.8 percent increase from the 4.2 percent positive test rate reported by the BPHC two weeks ago. This was the first time in weeks the city went above its 5 percent threshold used to plan Boston’s phased reopening strategies.

On Monday the Baker-Polito Administration announced that residents 55 and over and residents with one certain medical condition will be eligible for the COVID vaccine beginning on April 5.

In addition, the Administration announced that Massachusetts will adopt the CDC’s updated list of medical conditions. This week, the CDC added more medical conditions that are linked to an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Massachusetts will adopt this guidance and make individuals eligible starting April 5th if they have one of these medical conditions. As a result of adopting the CDC’s list, more residents will be eligible starting April 5th.

The full list of conditions can be found at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html and the full timeline of the state’s vaccine rollout is available at mass.gov/COVIDVaccinePhases.

The BPHC data released last Friday showed Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, West End and Downtown had an infection rate of 567.6 cases per 10,000 residents, up 3.5 percent from 548.4 cases per 10,000 residents reported two weeks ago.

An additional 107 residents became infected with the virus last week and the total number of cases in the area increased from 3,056cases to 3,163 cases as of last Friday.

The statistics released by the BPHC as part of its weekly COVID19 report breaks down the number of cases and infection rates in each neighborhood. It also breaks down the number of cases by age, gender and race.

Citywide positive cases of coronavirus increased 3.1 percent  percent last week and went from    63,748 cases to 65,728 confirmed cases in a week. Fourteen additional Boston residents died from the virus last week and there are now 1,355 total deaths in the city from COVID.

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