Officials Monitoring 'Breakthrough' Coronavirus Cases On Cape Cod

PROVINCETOWN, MA — A community on Cape Cod is urging residents and tourists to remain vigilant, following reports of "breakthrough" coronavirus cases.

Breakthrough cases happen when people who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 contract the virus anyway. Provincetown Town Manager Alex Morse said a handful of cases in town are being monitored as breakthrough cases.

"We are aware of a handful of positive COVID cases being reported over the last few days among folks who have spent time in Provincetown," Morse said in a statement. "We are in touch with the Health Department and Outer Cape Health Services and are closely monitoring the data."

Morse said it's "inevitable" that more COVID-19 cases will pop up throughout the summer, because of the number of tourists who flock to Provincetown.

Morse said nearly all of Provincetown's full-time and part-time residents are fully vaccinated. Despite these new cases, Morse reiterated that COVID-19 vaccines are effective, and symptoms are less severe for those who are fully vaccinated.

"We never expected COVID to completely vanish," Morse said. "We have to do our best to manage it. Vaccinations, better treatment and more research since last year have put us in a better position to do just that."