Health & Fitness
Worcester Coronavirus Cases Rise Sharply In State DPH Report
The rate of new infections jumped in Worcester over the last week, according to the weekly data release.
WORCESTER, MA — Worcester coronavirus cases rose sharply over the past week, according to the state's weekly report on infections in communities across the state.
Worcester remained on the list of red high-risk communities after average daily infections per 100,000 people rose to 10 on Wednesday — that's up from the 8.3 reported in the Sept. 30 state data release. The state considers any community with more than 8 cases per 100,000 people over a three-week period to be "high-risk."
The city added 269 new cases over the last 14 days, according to the state. Worcester's positive test rate rose slightly from 0.79 percent on Sept. 30 to 0.88 percent on Wednesday.
On Thursday, officials reported 141 new cases since Oct. 1, which is the same number as reported between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1. City officials continue to highlight that large gatherings are a problem, and said Thursday that people under age 19 are increasingly making up a larger share of new cases.
Officials also reported clusters of cases connected to a youth hockey league and at the construction site for the new South High School. Meanwhile, seven Worcester firefighters this week tested positive for the virus, and many more were in quarantine.
The coronavirus situation in Massachusetts appears to be getting worse.
The state Department of Public Health added 17 communities to the high-risk list on Wednesday for a statewide total of 40. Positive test rates rose in over half of the state's 351 communities.
The positive test rate over the last two weeks increased in 176— or 50.1 percent — of the 351 communities in the state. The rate fell in 68 — or 19.4 percent — communities and held steady in the remaining 148. The statewide positive test rate was 1.04 percent on Wednesday, higher than the 0.87 percent reported on Sept. 30.
The state this week also moved forward to the next phase of reopening, which includes indoor entertainment venues, arcades and store changing rooms, among others. However, only communities deemed "lower risk" can move to that phase — that means any municipality not colored red on the state's weekly map.
