The COVID 19 virus is spreading like wildfire across Beacon Hill 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.
A local community health center tested over 2,700 residents over a four day period and lines at testing sites across the city have reached epic proportions.
With both patrons and employees of indoor venues–including indoor dining, fitness, and entertainment establishments–required to show proof of vaccination beginning on January 15 the latest surge shows no sign of slowing.
According to the weekly report released Monday by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), 3,278 Beacon Hill, North End, Back Bay, 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.
The citywide weekly positive test rate also neared 20 percent last week. According to the BPHC 36,788 residents were tested and 18.2 percent were COVID positive–this was a 94 percent increase from the 9.4 percent that reportedly tested positive for the week ending on December 27. The weekly positive test rate has increased 172 percent in Boston since December 20.
Four hundred ninety five additional residents have been infected with the virus between December 27 and January 3 and the total number of cases in the area increased to 5,698 cases overall since the pandemic began.
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 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.