COVID-19 Update for April 14; 868 Positive Cases
For Immediate Release:
4/14/2020 5:29 pm
The City of Worcester has released the following COVID-19 update for April 14:
- There are now 868 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the City of Worcester.
- Positive cases for surrounding towns: Shrewsbury: 95, Grafton: 33, Holden: 28, Leicester: 15
- Since April 1, Worcester has seen an increase of 753 new cases (average of 58 new cases per day). A total of 87 percent of the positive cases in Worcester have come since April 1.
- As of today, there are 10 patients at the DCU Center and 24 positive patients at the homeless shelter at Worcester Technical High School.
- The Worcester Police Department has 5 positive cases (4 of the positive members are quarantined). Six other officers are self-quarantined as a result of exposure to the positive cases.
- The Worcester Fire Department has 6 positive cases. All six have been cleared to return to duty; 3 members are in self-quarantine.
- All combined medical facilities of Saint Vincent Hospital and UMass Memorial Health Care had 200 total COVID-positive in-patients and 80 total COVID-positive ICU patients today. To date, their facilities have had 33 total COVID-related deaths. A total of 104 of their employees have tested positive for the virus.
- The City Manager today signed an order today that requires employees of retail businesses providing essential services in the City of Worcester to wear a face covering when interacting with the public and within six feet of a co-worker. Essential services industries include, but are not limited to, grocery stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, home improvement stores, farmers markets and the like.
- An outbreak of COVID-19 has been reported at the Blaire House of Worcester (nursing home). Eight residents have tested positive with an additional four residents awaiting test results. Two staff members have also tested positive.
- The National Guard continued to do testing at nursing homes today. Testing was conducted at the following Worcester sites: Dodge Park Rest Home, Notre Dame Long Term Care Center, Oasis at Dodge Park, Odd Fellows Home of Massachusetts.
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Residents are reminded of the importance of participating in the 2020 Census. It is imperative that every resident is counted. Residents should have received a card in the mail with instructions on how to respond to the census. As of April 8, the self-response numbers are: Massachusetts: 48%; Worcester County: 49.9%; City of Worcester: 38.1%. If your household has yet to respond, a mail in Census form should arrive to your home in the next few days. The questionnaire will take about 10 minutes to complete. It's safe, secure, and confidential. Your information and privacy are protected. An accurate response helps to direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads, and other public services. For more information, visit my2020census.gov or call the City Clerk's Office at 508-799-1121.
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The Worcester Together Fund, a partnership between the City of Worcester, the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and United Way of Central Massachusetts, continues to raise money for efforts dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. The Worcester Public Schools has started a fundraising drive for the Worcester Together Fund with a goal that every teacher and administrator donates $25 to raise more than $60,000. As of today, the fund has raised more than $10,000. To date, raised more than $4.2 million. To donate visit: worcesterma.gov/coronavirus or text “worcestercovid19” to 243725.
- Today the City Manager recognized another unsung hero within the City workforce, Karyn Clark, Director, Worcester Division of Public Health. Karyn also serves as the Director of the Central MA Regional Public Health Alliance and has worked for the Division of Public Health for more than 20 years. She became Director of Public Health in November of 2015. She previously served as Acting Deputy Director, Chief of Community Health, Tobacco Control Coordinator and Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator. She has a Masters of Public Administration from Anna Maria College, a Masters of Counseling Psychology and Bachelors of Psychology both from Framingham State University. From the onset of the pandemic, Karyn has been leading her team and their efforts to ensure the City and its regional partners in Holden, Shrewsbury, Leicester, West Boylston, Millbury and Grafton are prepared for all phases of this public health emergency. The City's public health professionals have been at the helm of this response. Under Karyn’s leadership they have taken on the enormous task of providing patient monitoring and tracking for each of our positive cases in addition to providing reliable information on the risk, severity, and progression of a pandemic and the effectiveness of interventions used during a pandemic; prioritizing and continuing the provision of health-care during the pandemic; enacting steps to reduce the spread of COVID 19 in the community and in health-care facilities; and working around the clock to secure the appropriate PPE required to protect and support healthcare workers, public safety officials and our entire community during these uncertain and difficult times.
- Senior Center update: Number of seniors contacted to date: 3,439; Outreach phone calls made today: 182; Number of meals delivered to seniors in Worcester today: 1,407.
- The City of Worcester COVID-19 information line can be reached at 508-799-1019. This service is available in multiple languages. Individuals can speak live with a nurse, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
