LYNN — For the third time in the past two weeks, Lynn has set a record for coronavirus cases reported in a 24-hour period.
Lynn reported 196 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, which surpasses the single-day high of 191 cases the city reported last Thursday.
An additional death was also reported, which brings the city’s death toll to 137. Lynn’s caseload climbed to 8,819, which includes 1,712 active cases, according to city data.
City and state officials have attributed the skyrocketing coronavirus cases seen not only in Lynn, but statewide, to residents gathering with people outside of their households for the Thanksgiving holiday.
“With the report of 196 new COVID cases in Lynn today, this now marks seven of the nine days in the month of December that Lynn has seen well over 100 new cases reported in a single day,” said Mayor Thomas M. McGee. “We are just beginning to enter the winter surge, which many public health experts have warned will be the most dangerous period of this pandemic.”
McGee said the state, which reverted to the first step of the third phase of the governor’s reopening plan on Tuesday, should continue to look into a “sensible rollback” or pause to mitigate the spread of the virus.
On an individual level, McGee said the Lynn community has to recommit to following COVID-19 prevention protocols, such as mask-wearing, hand-washing and avoiding gatherings with people outside of their household “to alter this trend” of rising case numbers.
While Gov. Charlie Baker laid out the administration’s plan for how the COVID-19 vaccine will be distributed in the state on Wednesday, the plan does not allow for the general public to start being vaccinated until April at the earliest, McGee said.
The state’s plan prioritizes healthcare workers, first responders and nursing home residents in the first phase; adults 65-plus, individuals with medical conditions that put them at high risk for severe COVID-19 illness, and essential workers, such as education, grocery and public works employees in the second phase; and the general public in the third phase, according to Baker’s office.
“That leaves over four months between now and then, and the Lynn community needs to be more diligent than ever in stopping the spread,” said McGee. “I am continuing to work with my fellow mayors to advocate on both the federal and the state level for additional relief packages to support businesses and their employees who have been hit the hardest throughout this pandemic.
“We need to continue to look at a sensible statewide rollback and/or pause so that we can truly progress in slowing the spread of this deadly virus,” he said.
Significant spikes were also reported in two other coronavirus hot spots, Peabody and Revere.
In Peabody, 145 new cases have been reported since Monday, which brings the city’s caseload to 2,886. The city’s death toll is 212 and 1,457 have recovered from the virus, according to the health department.
Revere reported 113 new cases to bring the city’s total numbers to 5,143 cases and 119 deaths, according to the city website.
Fifteen new cases and an additional were reported in Lynnfield, which now has 408 cases and 16 deaths, according to the town website.
Nahant reported two new cases, which brings the town’s totals to 108 cases and six deaths, according to the town website.
Numbers were not updated in Marblehead, Saugus or Swampscott on Wednesday.
As of Monday, Saugus had 1,555 cases and 46 deaths, and Swampscott had 346 cases and 11 deaths. Marblehead (441 cases, 31 deaths) has not provided updated numbers since last Friday.
