The COVID 19 virus is spreading like wildfire across the Back Bay with 1.5 out of every 10 residents tested for the virus last week turning out to be positive and a certain degree of panic has set in as children returned to school Tuesday.
According to the weekly report released Monday by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), 3,278 Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, West End and Downtown residents were tested and 15.1 percent were positive. This was a 56 percent increase from the 9.7 percent that tested positive between December 20 and December 27. The weekly positive test rate is up 143.5 percent in the area since December 20.
Citywide positive cases of coronavirus increased 14.2 percent last week and went from 102,162 cases to 108,336 confirmed cases in a week. There were 19 additional deaths in Boston from the virus in the past week and the total COVID deaths is now at 1,522.