Worcester Hospitals Hitting Coronavirus 'Crunch' This Week

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester's main hospital are facing a "crunch" of coronavirus patients expected to rise by week's end, city officials said on Tuesday. Coronavirus cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are continuing to rise as Massachusetts enters the possible surge phase of the pandemic.

On Tuesday, Worcester's case count rose to 1,239, an increase of 40 cases from Monday. At the Saint Vincent and UMass hospitals, 240 people are being treated for the virus, an increase of 14 cases from Monday.

Coronavirus deaths in those major Worcester hospitals rose to 62, and there are now 86 people in intensive care. According to the state Department of Public Health, the UMass Memorial-University Campus has the most coronavirus patients in intensive care with 41 of the 83 total receiving treatment.

"I do think the crunch that we were expecting to see toward the end of this week is happening," Worcester Medical Director Michael Hirsh said Tuesday.

However, some precautions the city has been taken appear to be working, he said. Although the hospitals have a lot of coronavirus patients, they are not overwhelmed. That might be a sign that Worcester is flattening the curve, Hirsh said.

"It's too early to relax," he added.

Elsewhere in the city, the number of homeless residents being treated for coronavirus at a special shelter at the DCU Center rose to 52. Another 18 people are being treated at the field hospital inside the DCU Center, which is separate from the shelter.

City officials are closing a temporary homeless shelter at Saint John's Catholic Church along Temple Street. The residents there will move to two other temporary shelters at North High School and Ascension Church.

Massachusetts added 1,556 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday bringing the total statewide to 41,199. The death toll rose by 152 to a total of 1,961.