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Swampscott’s infection rate starting to rise
By Elyse Carmosino | May 2, 2020
Lynn, Revere, Saugus, and Swampscott have all reported additional cases of COVID-19 as of Friday.
Notably, Swampscott, which recently suffered its first COVID-19-related death, now has more 100 cases according to Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald.
Citing data from the state Department of Public Health, Fitzgerald said the town is now seeing a higher infection rate than some other Essex County municipalities.
As of April 29, Swampscott’s infection rate was 707 per 100,000 people. By comparison, Swampscott’s rate is higher than both Lynnfield and Marblehead, but lower than Nahant, Peabody, Revere, and Saugus.
“It’s really something we have to focus on and continue to put forward advisories about physical distancing and social distancing and really wearing masks and doing everything we can to protect the most vulnerable in town,” Fitzgerald said.
Lynn also reported that its number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has risen to 1,874, including 250 recovered cases and 49 deaths. The Revere Board of Health reported the city currently has 1,185 positive cases of COVID-19. Forty residents have died, and 297 have recovered, bringing Revere’s total number of cases to 1,522.
A statement released by the Town of Saugus reported 321 confirmed cases, including 13 deaths.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to those families affected by this health pandemic,” the statement read.
As of Thursday, Massachusetts health officials have announced that 157 more people have died in the Commonwealth after contracting COVID-19, bringing the state total to 3,562. So far, 62,205 cases in total have been confirmed while 275,647 people have been tested for the virus.
The CDC and MDPH have warned residents these next two weeks are when public health experts expect to see a peak of COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts.
Elyse Carmosino can be reached at [email protected].