Reported coronavirus cases statewide for the week ending Sept. 21 decreased 6.5% from the previous week, from 2,301 to 2,151.
In the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle — Attleboro, Foxboro, Mansfield, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Norton, Plainville, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Wrentham — reported cases decreased by eight, from 66 to 58.
Over the last 32 weeks statewide, the number has gone from 4,999 to 2,151 cases, a decrease of 57%.
In the week ending Sept. 21, no communities covered by The Sun Chronicle reported zero cases.
There were 417 coronavirus tests administered in the 10 communities with 58 positives, or 14%.
Not all the positive cases found through home-testing are reported to health officials. Also, many people who become ill with COVID-like symptoms — fever, congestion, sneezing, fatigue, body aches, and headaches — don’t bother testing anymore as the virus has weakened and the symptoms are less severe.
For context, the highest number of new cases statewide for one week was recorded on Jan. 14, 2022, at 132,557. The highest number locally for one week was 3,463 recorded on Jan. 13, 2022.
All told, since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, the area has recorded 51,657 cases. That’s nearly 26% of the population of just over 200,000.
In the week ending Sept. 21, the case counts were: Attleboro, 15; Foxboro, 7; Mansfield 7; Norfolk, 6; North Attleboro, 4; Norton, 3; Plainville, 4; Rehoboth, 1; Seekonk, 6; Wrentham, 5
Statewide, the number was 2,151 confirmed cases with 585 probable cases.
The number of confirmed deaths statewide for the week of Sept. 21 was 11 and the number of probable deaths was 0. The number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases statewide since March 2020 is 2,193,466. That’s 31.24% of the state’s 7,020,058 population.
The number of confirmed deaths since March 2020 is 23,640 and the number of confirmed and probable deaths is 30,100. That’s a death rate of 1.37%.
A recent poll for the 10 area communities covered by The Sun Chronicle reported the total number of deaths at 528. That’s a death rate of just over 1%.
Death totals per community are: Attleboro, 202; Foxboro, 30; Mansfield, 44; Norfolk, 9; North Attleboro, 99; Norton, 18; Plainville, 23; Rehoboth, 23; Seekonk, 15; Wrentham, 66
Most of the deceased were 65 and older,.
