Reported coronavirus cases up statewide, down slightly in Attleboro area

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

That’s the ninth consecutive week the number of reported cases statewide has been under 1,000 but the second week in row they have increased.

Overall, reported cases are in decline. The last 15 weeks statewide, the number has gone from 4,999 to 574 cases, which is a decrease of 88.51%.

In the week ending May 11, two towns had no cases. They were Norfolk and Rehoboth.

There were 277 coronavirus tests administered by health professionals in the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle with 19 positives, which is a percentage of 6.85%, or 0.84 points lower than the week of May 4.

That’s an increase of four tests from the 273 recorded last week, which equals 1.46%.

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 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 50,847 cases.

That’s 25.32% 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) and the average is 24.61%

Norfolk is the lowest at 21.96% and Attleboro is the highest at 28.66%.

In the week ending May 11, the reported case counts in each of the 10 communities was:

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

Statewide, the number was 574 confirmed cases with 136 probable cases for a total statewide of 2,153,609 confirmed and probable cases since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

The number of confirmed deaths statewide for the week of May 11 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 23,460, and the number of confirmed and probable deaths is 29,970.

A recent poll for the 10 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 as follows:

• 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 occur in people over the age of 65.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of positive tests for coronavirus nationwide is down slightly by 0.1% as of May 11, or 3.0%

In the Attleboro area, it’s 6.85% as of May 11, but fewer tests sometimes result in bigger percentages.

Emergency room visits nationwide were down 5.2% as of May 11.

Hospital admissions for coronavirus were up 9.1% nationwide as of April 27.

There has been no change in the percentage of deaths nationwide as of May 11.

The percentage rate for all deaths nationwide is 1.1%.

In the 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle it’s 1.02%

The number of variants causing the most cases has multiplied.

At first it was the JN. 1 at about 83.7%. Now the change is substantial.

As of May 11, KP.2 is causing the most cases at 28.2%, JN.1 variant is causing the second most at 15.7% and the JN.1.7 is causing the third most at 13.3% and the JN.1.16 is causing the fourth most cases at 10%, according to the CDC.