For Immediate Release: 12/10/2020 5:36 pm
The City of Worcester has released the following COVID-19 update:
To date, there have been 11,395 overall confirmed positive cases in Worcester to date. That is an increase in 1,268 cases since the City’s last COVID update on Thursday, Dec. 3.
There were 204 new cases today.
Positive case counts in surrounding towns: Shrewsbury: 1,026 (increase of 181); Holden: 496 (increase of 56); Grafton: 403 (increase of 80); Leicester: 421 (increase of 62).
UMass Memorial Health Care and Saint Vincent Hospital, as of Thursday, Dec. 10, have a combined total of 192 COVID-positive in-patients (increase of 48) and 40 total COVID- positive ICU patients (increase of 6). To date, the combined facilities have had 408 COVID-related deaths (increase of 9). A total of 934 employees have tested positive for the virus (increase of 149). All changes are from last week’s report.
There have been 313 deaths of Worcester residents, an increase of 7 since last week
There are 25 positive COVID cases among City employees and 32 in quarantine, for a total of 57.
CASES BY AGE
19-under: 1,364 (12%)
20-29: 1,961 (18%)
30-39: 1,864 (17%)
40-49: 1,657 (15%)
50-59: 1,697 (15%)
60-69: 1,157 (10%)
70-up: 1,497 (13%)
As of last night, there were 30 positive patients in the DCU Field Hospital. Half of them are from Worcester hospitals. Others have come from Boston Medical Center, South Shore Hospital and Holy Family in Haverhill.
Today, Health Commissioner Dr. Matilde Castiel and Medical Director Dr. Michael P. Hirsh led the weekly press conference after City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. announced on Wednesday he had tested positive for the virus. Mr. Augustus is isolating and all direct contacts are in quarantine and following COVID-19 protocols.
Dr. Castiel talked about Gov. Baker's announcement this week of a rollback of the state's reopening plan from Phase 3, Step 2 to Phase 3, Step 1. Worcester had not advanced to Step 2, and had kept in place restrictions in Step 1. For more information about the rollback, visit www.mass.gov.
Dr. Castiel and Dr. Hirsh also discussed the state's announced rollout of COVID vaccines. You can find more information here.
Dr. Castiel and Dr. Hirsh will be conduction a virtual Town Hall on Thursday, Dec. 17 for Daycare Providers and Charter, Parochial and Private schools as part of educational outreach on how to deal with the COVID virus and protocols.
The City today announced the start of a Rental Assistance Program that makes $1.9 million in rental assistance available to City residents. Find more information at www.worcesterma.gov.
Free, walkup COVID testing and flu shots continue to be available through a partnership between the UMass Memorial Health Care COVID-19 Equity Task Force and the City of Worcester. Testing will be done on the following days and times next week at Mercantile Center, 201 Commercial St.
