For a second week in a row the COVID-19 infection rate in Beacon Hill and surrounding neighborhoods has risen only slightly.
According to the latest data released by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) on Friday Beacon Hill, as well as the North End, West End, Back Bay and Downtown the infection rate rose 1.7 percent since last week. The last increase week over week was 2 percent.
On Friday the BPHC released its weekly COVID-19 stats by neighborhood that tracks infection rates and COVID testing results in Boston neighborhoods.
The BPHC data released last Friday showed Beacon Hill, North End, West End, Back Bay and Downtown had an infection rate of 105 cases per 10,000 residents, up from 103.2 cases per 10,000 residents two week ago.
The number of confirmed cases in the area increased from 575 cases to 588 cases last Friday.
However, compared to other neighborhoods Beacon Hill, North End, West End, Back Bay and Downtown have the second lowest infection rates among residents second to only Fenway.
Beacon Hill is also still well below the city’s average infection rate of 231.5 cases per 10,000 residents.
Last week the BPHC reported that 17,711 Beacon Hill, North End, West End, Back Bay and Downtown residents were tested for COVID-19 and the data shows that only 0.5 percent of those tested were COVID positive.
Overall since the pandemic began 3.4 percent of Beacon Hill, North End, West End, Back Bay and Downtown residents were found to be COVID positive. This was down from 4 percent reported last week.
The statistics released by the BPHC as part of its weekly COVID-19 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 rose 2.1 percent last week from 15,625 cases to 15,967 cases. So far 12,366 Boston residents have fully recovered from the virus and the deaths from COVID remain at 754.