COVID-19 Update for May 4; 2,462 Positive Cases
For Immediate Release:
5/4/2020 5:22 pm
The City of Worcester has released the following COVID-19 update for May 4:
- There are 2,462 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the City of Worcester. This is an increase of 76 cases from May 3.
- Since April 1, Worcester has seen an increase of 2,348 new cases (average of 69 new cases per day).
- Positive case counts in surrounding towns: Shrewsbury: 205; Holden: 60; Grafton: 56; Leicester: 98. (Millbury: 150 as of Friday, May 1)
- There are no new 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 277 total COVID-positive in-patients and 105 total COVID-positive ICU patients today. To date, their facilities have had 134 total COVID-related deaths. A total of 192 of their employees have tested positive for the virus.
- Shelter update: As of today, the DCU Center has 15 positive homeless clients and 27 non-homeless clients on the field hospital side.
- Beaumont Rehabilitation census: 70 positive inpatients (5 admissions, 2 discharges)
- Today, May 4, is International Firefighters Day – a day to say thank you to all the brave men and women of all fire departments, including the Worcester Fire Department. In honor of International Firefighters Day, both the Webster Square and Franklin Street stations will be lit up in red lighting, from 8-10 p.m. both tonight and tomorrow. The City and the WFD would like to thank Anthony Delia of Revelation Productions for putting this together and donating the use of this equipment for free. Anthony was a classmate of fallen Worcester firefighter Christopher Roy.
- Small Business Grants: The second round of the City of Worcester’s small business grants is now live at worcesterma.gov/coronavirus/business. Grants for the second round are capped at $5,000 per business due to limited funding. The City expects to award up to 160 businesses for a total of $800,000. Applicants needing translation assistance have a number of options. The Economic Development office has staff that are fluent in Spanish, Vietnamese, Albanian and Portuguese. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6.
- The City’s three yard waste drop-off sites (1065 Millbury St.; 300 Chandler St. -across from Foley Stadium; and 299 Clark St.) will reopen to the public starting Saturday, May 9 for yard waste ONLY. All facilities are open Wednesdays 8:30-3; and Saturdays 9-5. The Millbury Street facility is also open Sundays 9-5. The Bulk Waste Drop-off Program not opening at this time. The yard waste service is for Worcester residents only. There are no commercial entities no commercial vehicles allowed. For as long as the crisis lasts, residents will be required to empty their own vehicles. Residents must wear a mask/face covering if getting out of the vehicle. Employees must also wear a mask/face covering. To protect residents and employees, employees will not have direct contact with residents or vehicles. Employees will direct residents where to pull up their vehicles, and where to dump waste.
- The Worcester Public Library is now offering temporary library cards to Massachusetts residents who do not currently have a library card. The temporary cards will allow patrons to access WPL e-resources and databases during building closures. To obtain a temporary library card, patrons can fill out a library card application at mywpl.org/get-library-card or call 508-799-1699. These cards are for temporary use while physical borrowing is unavailable. Once the libraries reopen patrons can bring proof of address documents to the Main Library to obtain a physical card.
- Residents are reminded to respond to the 2020 Census at my2020census.gov. It is important that all City of Worcester residents are accurately counted.
- To date, the Worcester Together fund has raised more than $5.85 million. The Central Mass COVID-19 Fund has announced the start of the Worcester Together Challenge with a goal of raising $400,000. The Challenge was initiated with a $100,000 gift from the Esler Family Foundation. The challenges aligns with #GivingTuesdayNow, a global celebration of giving. #GivingTuesdayNow will be celebrated worldwide as people demonstrate acts of kindness and philanthropy on Tuesday, May 5. City of Worcester employee donations: 102 donors for a total of $4,000. Facemask challenge: 271 donors have raised $14,254. To donate, please visit: worcesterma.gov/coronavirus or text worcestercovid19 to 243725.
- Senior Center update: Number of seniors contacted to date: 5,912; Outreach phone calls made to seniors today: 127; Number of meals delivered to seniors in Worcester today: 956.
- Today, the City Manager recognized another unsung hero in the City workforce: Kathy Esparza, Special Projects Manager in the Division of Youth Opportunities. Kathy has been with the City for 3 years, working within our Health and Human Services Department. In her current role, she oversees the internal operations of the Division of Youth Opportunities and works closely with the Director to spearhead, develop, and sustain city-wide youth development initiatives. During the COVID-19 crisis, Kathy has really been doing two jobs at once -coordinating online youth programming through the Rec Woo Online platform which offers three, 20 minute videos each week on arts, academics, and athletics activities for children at home, and working at the city’s homeless shelters, coordinating telehealth efforts, delivering supplies and addressing housing issues. Kathy is a graduate of Clark University, where she majored in International Development and Social Change.
- The City of Worcester COVID-19 information line can be reached at 508-799-1019. Individuals can speak live with a nurse, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
