October 2, 2020
Worcester, Framingham remain in highest-risk category as virus cases rise
Photo | Grant Welker
Framingham has among the state's highest coronavirus case rates and is in the highest-risk category.
By Grant Welker
The two largest Central Massachusetts cities, Worcester and Framingham, remain in the state's highest-risk category for the coronavirus pandemic, as cases across Massachusetts ticked up at the end of September.
Both across Worcester County and statewide, cases in the past week rose to their highest levels since early June, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. That was before restaurants were open for indoor dining and while schools were teaching remotely or out of session.
Cases in Worcester County rose by 316 in the past week to 14,475 since the pandemic began. Deaths rose by 20 to a new total of 1,115 in Worcester County, the state's fourth highest.
The state's case total rose to 129,753 on Wednesday, up by 3,345 new cases. Deaths increased by 107 to hit a total of 9,242.
The statewide rate of positive test results has also jumped, from a low- to mid-1% range in the middle of August to around 3% at the end of September.
The City of Worcester reported 141 new weekly cases late Thursday. That narrowly beats the previous week's total and is the highest since early June.
For six straight weeks, Framingham has been in the state's red category — its most severe, for those with eight or more positive tests per 100,000. Worcester has been in the red category for three straight weeks. Marlborough and Holliston have been included in the red category for the past two weeks.
In all, 23 cities and towns throughout Massachusetts were in the most severe category in the latest weekly update reported late Wednesday.
The largest Worcester colleges with students on campus this fall have reported few positive tests. Worcester Polytechnic Institute has reported seven positive tests in the past 30 days, and none in the past week. Worcester State University said it's had four positive tests during the semester, with none in the past week. At Clark University, one positive test has been reported in both the past 30 days and the past week.
Clark said Monday it was canceling its study abroad program for the spring semester.
The state's uptick in cases raised alarms with the Massachusetts Medical Society, which said Thursday it had serious concerns about the state's rising case totals and its positive-test rate. Dr. David Rosman, the group's president, said efforts must be made to slow the spread of the virus and avoid an expected surge in cases accompanying a move of many activities back indoors with cooler weather.
"It is imperative that these proven preventive measures — social distancing, universal mask-wearing, and handwashing — be followed to protect each other and to ensure that future steps in the reopening process occur safely and without significant interruption," Rosman said in a statement.
The United States had nearly 7.3 million cases Friday morning, with nearly 208,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Worldwide, cases have surpassed 34 million and deaths stand at more than 1 million.
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