Positive COVID Tests Decrease

Three weeks after the city ended Boston’s “B Together” policy, which requires patrons and staff of certain indoor spaces to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 would be lifted, new infections continue to decline in the North End and the rest of Boston.

On Saturday, the city’s mask mandate for indoor spaces was also lifted and that move hasn’t led to an increase in cases thus far.

According to the BPHC 12,478 residents were tested citywide last week and 2.3 percent were COVID positive–this was a 36 percent decrease from the 3.6 percent that reportedly tested positive for the week ending on February 28. The weekly positive test rate has now decreased 50 percent in Boston since February 21.

The weekly report released Monday by the BPHC showed that 1,839 North End, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, West End and Downtown residents were tested and 3.2 percent were positive. This was a 20 percent decrease from the 4 percent that tested positive between February 21 and February 28.

Fifty-nine additional residents have been infected with the virus between February 28 and March 7 and the total number of cases in the area increased to 8,449 cases overall since the pandemic began.

The statistics released by the BPHC as part of its weekly COVID19 report breaks down the number of cases and infection rates in each neighborhood. It also breaks down the number of cases by age, gender and race.

Citywide positive cases of coronavirus increased 0.52 percent last week and went from  165,226 cases to 166,087 confirmed since the start of the pandemic. 

There were 9 additional deaths in Boston from the virus in the past week and the total COVID deaths is now at 1,727. Deaths decreased 57 percent in Boston last week with 12 less deaths compared to the 21 deaths reported by the BPHC two weeks ago.