North End, Surrounding Area’s Weekly COVID Positive Test-Rate Decreases

While some Boston neighborhoods have been hit particularly hard by the latest surge of COVID, the percentage of those testing positive in the North End and the surrounding area dropped slightly last week.

According to the latest data by the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) 725 North End, Beacon Hill, Back Bay, West End and Downtown residents were tested for the virus last week and 8.3 percent were positive–this was a 3.5 percent decrease from the 8.6 percent that tested positive between July 25 and August 1.

Sixty additional residents contracted the virus between August 1 and August 8 and there have now been 11,822 confirmed cases in the neighborhood since the start of the pandemic.

Citywide, Boston’s weekly positive test rate also decreased last week according to the BPHC, 10,355 Boston residents tested citywide and 8.6 percent were positive—a 5.5 percent decrease from the 9.1 percent that tested positive between July 25 and August 1.

Adult COVID-19 Hospitalizations in Boston are now averaging 129.6 per day–down 2 percent from the previous week. This metric helps the BPHC understand the burden of serious COVID-19 cases among adults resulting in inpatient care in Boston hospitals. It includes the total number of adult hospitalizations among Boston and non-Boston residents for COVID-19.

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 1 percent last week and went from 197,686 to 199,831 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. 

There were four additional deaths in Boston from the virus in the past week and the total number of COVID deaths is now at 1,506.