Coronavirus Hits Worcester's Unsheltered Community

WORCESTER, MA — The number of coronavirus cases in Worcester hit 267 on Friday, including several people living in city homeless shelters.

Two weeks ago, Worcester began setting up temporary shelters for the homeless during the coronavirus crisis. At least three people who have tested positive for coronavirus are now staying at a shelter at Worcester Tech, which has been set aside as a quarantine site.

There are three other shelters at Ascension Church, North High School, and St. John's Church.

So far, city officials only know of three people from Worcester who have died from coronavirus, all senior residents of the Jewish Healthcare Center along Salisbury Street. Those three people died within about 72 hours of testing positive for coronavirus, officials said.

Worcester Medical Director Michael Hirsh said that the speed of those deaths underscores the need for city residents to stay home. It's also one reason why the city is focused on getting homeless people into shelters, he said.

"Like it or not, they are potential vectors of this disease because they're not as easily fitting into self-quarantine mode," he said.

Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus on Friday also announced that he has shut down all city-related construction at schools and other municipal buildings. Construction on water and sewer projects will continue, however.