For the 14th consecutive week, reported coronavirus cases decreased statewide.
And in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle in the week ending April 13, reported cases decreased by 3, from 20 to 17. That’s a decrease of 15%.
The 10 communities are Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, Mansfield, Norton, Foxboro, Wrentham, Norfolk, Rehoboth and Seekonk.
Statewide, the number of reported cases fell to 575 reported cases from 629 — a decrease of 54 cases. That’s a drop of 8.58%.
That’s the sixth consecutive week the number of reported cases statewide has been under 1,000.
Overall, reported cases have dropped 11 consecutive weeks statewide from 4,999 to 575, which is a decrease of 88.49%.
In Foxboro, Rehoboth, Seekonk and Wrentham there were zero cases in each community.
There were 371 coronavirus tests administered by health officials in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle with 17 positives, which is a percentage of 4.58% or 0.21 points lower than last week. That’s a decrease of 46 tests which equals 11.03%.
The number of COVID-19 cases in the area and state, however, is not accurate and the figure is likely higher because of the prevalence of home-testing kits. 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 as the virus has weakened and the symptoms caused by the virus 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 50,775 cases. That’s 25.28% of the 200,793 population in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle.
Percentages of the disease in each community range from 23% to 29% (rounded up) and the average is 24.67%
In the week ending April 13, the reported case counts in each of the 10 communities was:
- Attleboro, 2
- Foxboro, 0
- Mansfield, 3
- Norfolk, 2
- North Attleboro, 7
- Norton, 1
- Plainville, 2
- Rehoboth, 0
- Seekonk, 0
- Wrentham, 0
Statewide, the reported number was 575 confirmed cases with 252 probable cases for a total statewide of 2,150,962 confirmed and probable cases since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.
The number of confirmed deaths statewide was 4, and the number of probable deaths was 1.
The number of confirmed deaths statewide since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, is 23,443, and the number of confirmed and probable deaths is 29,950.
A poll for the 10 local communities was taken recently and the total number of deaths was 520. That’s a death rate of 1.02%.
Death totals per community covered by The Sun Chronicle are:
- Attleboro, 199
- Foxboro, 29
- Mansfield, 44
- Norfolk, 8
- North Attleboro, 96
- Norton, 18
- Plainville, 22
- Rehoboth, 23
- Seekonk, 15
- Wrentham, 66
Most of the deaths were suffered by the elderly.
According to the state’s Department of Public Health most deaths occur in people at or over the age of 65.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the rate of positive tests for coronavirus nationwide was 3.4% as of April 6.
In the Attleboro area, it’s 4.58% as of April 13.
Emergency room visits nationwide were down 14.8% as of April 6. Hospital admissions for coronavirus were down 9.8% nationwide as of April 6. And deaths nationwide were down 8.3% as of April 6. The percentage rate for all deaths nationwide is 1.1%.
In the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle, it’s 1.02%
George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.