For Immediate Release: 4/26/2020 5:01 pm
The City of Worcester has released the following COVID-19 update for Sunday, April 26:
• There are 1,751 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the City of Worcester. This is an increase of 54 cases from Saturday, April 25
• Since April 1, Worcester has seen an increase of 1,636 new cases (average of 65 new cases per day).
• Positive case counts in surrounding towns: Shrewsbury: 158; Holden: 39; Grafton: 47; Leicester: 71. (Millbury: 138 as of Friday, April 24)
• There are no updates from yesterday on cases within the Worcester Police Department and Worcester Fire Department. There are 5 positive cases to date in the Worcester Police Department and 6 positive cases to date in the Worcester Fire Department.
• All combined medical facilities of Saint Vincent Hospital and UMass Memorial Health Care had 244 total COVID-positive in-patients and 100 total COVID-positive ICU patients today. To date, their facilities have had 84 total COVID-related deaths. A total of 155 of their employees have tested positive for the virus.
• The homeless shelter at the DCU Center has 49 positive clients today.
• Nurses with Worcester Public Schools and Medical Rserve Corps provided 96 hours of nursing services to the City's 3 temporary homeless shelters (12 hours at St. John's, 34 hours at Ascension and 50 hours at North High School) this week.
• The City continues to look for permanent housing solutions for homeless individuals currently taking refuge in our temporary shelters. Some of those men and women are employed, have housing vouchers, or are receiving benefits of some kind. Any landlords with space available, and who are willing to rent to this vulnerable population when this crisis passes, are asked to email Mayor Joseph M. Petty at mayor@worcesterma.gov.
• The Worcester Together Fund has raised more than $5 million in five weeks, distributing almost $850,000 in grants to area agencies and organizations. Among the ways you can contribute to the fund is through the FaceMask Challenge, which raised $1,000 in its first 24 hours. To donate to the fund, visit worcesterma.gov/coronavirus or text “worcestercovid19” to 243725.
• Monday, April 27 has been declared Citywide Takeout Day in Worcester. The City’s many restaurants have been great partners in the Worcester Renaissance, and many of them now face an uncertain future as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. On Monday, residents are encouraged to order from their favorite local restaurants that offer takeout.
• Two muralists working with the POW! WOW! Worcester team have been working on a mural at the Edward M. Kennedy Health Center dedicated to the medical professionals keeping us safe and health during the COVID-19 crisis. The mural should be finished early this week.
• Today, the City Manager honored another unsung hero within the City workforce: Health & Safety Officer Amyn Sopariwalla in the Human Resources Department. Amyn joined the City workforce in May 2019, and has proven an invaluable member of our HR staff. He is a passionate and experienced disaster management professional, and has been a key part of our planning and preparedness during the COVID-19 crisis. He attended college in India, earning both his Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy and his Master’s in Disaster Management. During this crisis, he has served as Planning Section Chief at the City’s Emergency Operations Center, spending much of his day helping to set the tone for operations there. He is responsible each day for developing an action plan as well as reports used every day by EOC staff and City leadership. Those reports help establish objectives and measure progress toward goals that include reducing the transmission of the COVID-19 virus in the city, protecting our most vulnerable populations, reducing pressure on the City’s healthcare system, maintaining essential City functions and improving the City’s overall ability to communication, coordinate and collaborate. In addition to those and other crisis-related duties, Amyn continues to perform his regular job with Human Resources. Amyn also volunteers with Aga Khan, a disaster aid organization, working on their Volunteer Resource Management Team. Recently married about two months ago, Amyn has been an indispensable resource during this time of crisis.
