As feared the post-Thanksgiving COVID-19 surge is here and numbers are once again spiking in Mission Hill/Roxbury.
As COVID-19 cases spike across Boston after the holiday, the positive test rate here continues to climb.
According to the latest data released by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) of the 30,474 Mission Hill/Roxbury residents tested for COVID-19, 17.4 of those tested in the area were COVID positive. This was a 52.6 percent increase from the 11.4 percent that were found to be positive on average at the beginning of November.
In one week the citywide positive test rate increased 226 percent and went from 5 percent testing positive the week of Thanksgiving to 16.3 percent this week.
Overall since the pandemic began 7.5 percent of Mission Hill/Roxbury residents were found to be COVID positive–a 13 percent increase throughout November.
At his daily press conference last Thursday Mayor Martin Walsh said there is a sharp increase in viral activity and there’s an urgent need for vigilance: The Mayor said that after a couple of weeks of declining numbers Boston is now seeing, in the wake of Thanksgiving, a significant uptick in COVID activity.
“On Wednesday and Thursday, we recorded a combined 960 new cases in Boston, and Wednesday’s number for Massachusetts was the highest since the pandemic began,” said Walsh. “In addition, we are seeing more patients admitted to Boston hospitals due to COVID-19. Since Friday (Nov. 27), we’ve seen an increase of about 70 patients. We’re going to be monitoring the data, working closely with our hospitals and health care leaders, and bringing relief and resources where they are needed.”
Walsh said in the meantime, Bostonians must double-down on their personal precautions.
“Wear a face covering that covers your nose and your mouth when you are outside your house,” said Walsh. “Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer. Clean and disinfect your surroundings, especially at work. If you are an employer, make sure your workers have what they need to be safe, and allow as many people to work from home as possible.”
The Mayor asked seniors, in particular, to take extra care and continue to stay at home as much as possible.
The Mayor repeated his request that everyone get tested, especially if you have reason to think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, or if you spent Thanksgiving with a group larger than your immediate household.
“Currently, we have over 30 testing sites in Boston,” said Walsh. “You can find them listed and mapped at boston.gov/coronavirus, or you can call 311. The City will continue to invest in free mobile sites and bring them to neighborhoods where COVID activity is higher. Our mobile sites are free and open to anyone, regardless of whether you have COVID symptoms or not.”
The infection rate inCharlestown increased 9.3 percent in one week according to the latest city statistics.
The Mission Hill/Roxbury COVID-19 infection rate also spiked since the beginning of November and rose 31.7 percent.
According to data released last Friday by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) the COVID-19 infection rate here jumped from 385.1 cases per 10,000 residents to an infection rate of 507.3 cases per 10,000 residents in one month.
Five hundred twenty seven additional Mission Hill/Roxbury residents became infected with the virus throughout November and the number of cases increased from 1,661 to 2,188.
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 percent last week and went from 27,228 cases to 31,086 cases in a week.
Nine more Boston residents died from the virus and there are now 947 total deaths in the city from COVID.