Beverly Mayor Cautions Against Gatherings Amid Coronavirus Rise

BEVERLY, MA — Beverly Mayor Mike Cahill is asking residents to stay home as they await coronavirus test results and limit social gatherings indoors as virus rates rose in the city over the past couple of weeks.

Beverly's cases of coronavirus per 100,000 — the metric the state uses to determine whether a community can move forward in businesses reopening and keeping schools in in-person learning — went from 1.56 to 5.2 in the most recent report released on Thursday.

There were 30 confirmed positive cases of coronavirus in the city over the past 14 days. The city's 14-day rolling average of its test-positive rate was also higher, but remained relatively low at 0.44 percent.

"In looking at some of our and other communities' recent COVID-19 test results there's much to learn," Cahill said in a message to the community. "In multiple households, where one member has been awaiting COVID test results, other family members have gone into the community only to find out later that both they are their family member are positive for COVID.

"Please, if anyone in your house is tested for COVID, everyone else should quarantine at home until the test results come back."

Cahill also cited a recent social gathering where a group of friends were together inside, and three of those friends later tested positive for the virus.

"In order to keep people health, and to keep our businesses and schools open, we all need to be careful," Cahill said. "Gatherings, especially indoors, can lead to virus spread. Please keep your interactions with non-family members outdoors, keep your distance, and wear a mask.

"This really continues to be up to each one of us. We can prevent the virus from spreading. We need to be vigilant and think through all of our actions. So, please, don't host or attend gatherings at people's homes. Keep your distance. Wear a mask."

Cahill said Beverly residents who need to get tested for coronavirus can go to one of the two Salem sites at the drive-thru site at Salem High School and the walk-in site at Old Town Hall.

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