Health & Fitness
Worcester Adds 'Staggering' 1,012 Coronavirus Cases In One Week
Worcester officials said this is the highest number of new cases in any week since the pandemic began.
WORCESTER, MA — The second wave of the coronavirus pandemic is breaking records in the worst way possible.
Worcester officials announced Thursday that the city had added 1,012 cases over the past week, the highest so far in the pandemic. During the spring, the biggest jump in one week was 600 cases, City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. said.
"This is just a staggering number if you think about it," Augustus said.
Worcester's four-digit rise comes 24 hours after the state reported over 4,600 new cases in one day — also a record since the pandemic began.
It's possible the numbers could get worse, and soon. Augustus said the Thanksgiving holiday could be the "gasoline" that sends case figures even higher. Health officials expect to begin to see cases that spread over the holiday appear around Dec. 16.
Worcester Medical Director Dr. Michael Hirsh called events that drive cases up "super blips" — and he said to expect more following the Christmas and New Year's holidays.
City officials said they have "begged, cajoled" residents into staying safe for themselves and their families. Now, Augustus asked local residents to do it for healthcare workers, who will be stretched to the limit as cases pile up in local hospitals.
Hirsh asked residents to try and stay home as much as possible. Order Christmas gifts online, and get delivery from restaurants rather than dining in, he suggested.
"Can you figure out a way you could lock yourself down voluntarily and limit the amount of exposure you have as a family?" Hirsh said. "I think those are kind of the equations we want you guys to work out in your head. Right now we need all the help we can get."
