Reported coronavirus cases in Attleboro area and statewide relatively stable

And, in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle, reported cases increased by 8, from 12 to 20. That’s an increase of 66.66%.

The 10 communities are Attleboro, North Attleboro, Plainville, Mansfield, Norton, Foxboro, Wrentham, Norfolk, Rehoboth and Seekonk.

This marked the seventh consecutive week the number of reported cases statewide has been under 1,000.

Overall, reported cases have dropped 13 consecutive weeks statewide, from 4,999 to 486 cases, which is a decrease of 90.27%.

In the week ending April 27, two towns had zero cases. They were Norfolk and Rehoboth.

There were 336 coronavirus tests administered by health professionals in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle, with 20 positives, which is a percentage of 5.95%, or 2.30 points higher than the week of April 20.

That’s an increase of 8 tests, which equals 2.43%.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the area and state, however, is not accurate. 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, reported 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 50,807 cases. That’s 25.30% of the 200,793 population in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle.

Percentages of the disease in each community range from 22% to 29% (rounded up) with the average of 24.68%

In the week ending April 27, the reported case counts in each of the 10 communities was:

• Attleboro, 4
• Foxboro, 3
• Mansfield, 5
• Norfolk, 0
• North Attleboro, 2
• Norton, 2
• Plainville, 1
• Rehoboth, 0
• Seekonk, 1
• Wrentham, 2

Statewide, the number was 486 confirmed cases with 153 probable cases for a total statewide of 2,152,246 confirmed and probable cases since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide for the week ending April 27, was 3, and the number of probable deaths was 0.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, is 23,452, and the number of confirmed and probable deaths is 29,960.

A recent poll for the communities covered by The Sun Chronicle reported the total number of deaths at 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 caused by the virus were suffered by the elderly. Most deaths due to the virus 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 is 3.0% as of April 27.

In the Attleboro area, it’s 5.95% as of April 27.

Emergency room visits nationwide were down 11% as of April 27. Hospital admissions for coronavirus are down 11.1% nationwide as of April 27.

There has been no change in the percentage of deaths nationwide as of April 27. The percentage rate for all deaths nationwide is 1.1%. In the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle it’s 1.02%