Coronavirus Clusters Likely A Contributing Factor To Cases Creeping Up In Mass.

BOSTON (CBS) – After five consecutive days with coronavirus numbers around 300 cases, the percent of positive tests went above two percent over the weekend – breaking the threshold for the first time since mid-June. The milestone leaving some to wonder whether the state should scale back its reopening. But Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said the state’s move into phase 3 didn’t drive that trend. “We’re seeing the number of cases increase as well as our positive testing. And we’ve seen a number of clusters over the past few weeks,” Sudders said Friday. State officials are now urging residents remain vigilant, and continue to wear their masks, in an effort to avoid a resurgence. “We have the ability to do it in Massachusetts, because we’ve demonstrated that ability to drive it down,” said Sudders. A look back at the state dashboard shows the consistent drop in confirmed cases through the stages of re-opening. On May 18, the weekly average of positive tests was 9.7 percent. By mid-July, that number dipped as low as 1.7 percent, but it has since slowly crept back up. “It’s very important to look at the hospitalization rates and death rates. We haven’t seen those rise yet. But we do know, from our prior experience, that hospitalizations lag behind cases and deaths lag behind hospitalizations,” said Dr. Shira Doron, an epidemiologist at Tufts Medical Center. “It&...
Source: WBZ-TV - Breaking News, Weather and Sports for Boston, Worcester and New Hampshire - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Boston News Covid-19 Boston, MA Health Healthcare Status Syndicated CBSN Boston Syndicated Local Anaridis Rodriguez Coronavirus Source Type: news