Last week Beacon Hill’s cumulative COVID-19 positive test rate went up slightly but the weekly positive test rate remained the same.
According to the latest data released by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) last Friday, overall since the pandemic started 46,406 Beacon Hill, Back Bay, North End, West End and Downtown residents have been tested for COVID-19 and the data shows that 6.2 percent of those tested were COVID positive–this was 3.3 percentage increase from the 6 percent reported two weeks ago by the BPHC.
However, last week 2,865 residents were tested and 2.1 percent were positive–this was the same percentage reported by the BPHC two Fridays ago.
Citywide, 28,793 residents were tested and 3.6 percent were COVID positive–a 2.85 percent increase from the 3.5 percent testing positive two weeks ago but still below the five percent threshold of concern.
With St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon Mayor Martin Walsh told Boston residents to remain vigilant during one of the city’s most celebrated holidays.
The Mayor said that everyone has a role to play in keeping themselves and others safe by wearing a mask, washing your hands frequently, and continuing to practice social distancing and avoid gatherings.
He said that all of these things are especially important with St. Patrick’s Day coming up. Mayor said the parade is canceled, and there should be no large gatherings of any kind. The limits on private gatherings remain at 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors. Restrictions remain in place at restaurants, including those that are typically busy on St. Patrick’s Day. There will be 90-minute limits on seating, and the City won’t allow lines outside restaurants. The City will be enforcing safety protocols.
The Mayor also made an appeal to the people of Boston to do the right thing and not host or attend gatherings for St. Patrick’s Day. He said:
“We’ve made so much progress in bringing our numbers down. More people are getting vaccinated and the warm weather is coming,” said Walsh. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel. So please, don’t put our progress at risk because you want to have a St. Patrick’s Day party. We’ll have plenty of opportunities to celebrate when the pandemic is all over. But right now, we need to focus on keeping one another safe and getting through this final stage. Please do your part to protect our city.”
The BPHC data released last Friday showed Beacon Hill, Back Bay, North End, West End and Downtown had an infection rate of 506.6 cases per 10,000 residents, up 2.4 percent from 494.9 480.9 cases per 10,000 residents.
An additional 65 residents became infected with the virus last week and the total number of cases in the area increased from 2,758 cases to 2,823 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 2 percent percent last week and went from 58,901 cases to 60,058 confirmed cases in a week. Fourteen additional Boston residents died from the virus last week and there are now 1,287 total deaths in the city from COVID.