September 11, 2020
Worcester sees 43% spike in coronavirus cases in past week
Photo | Grant Welker
Worcester City Hall
By Grant Welker
Just over a week into September, Worcester has already seen a major jump in the number of reported coronavirus cases.
The City of Worcester said Friday afternoon it has recorded 140 cases in the past week, a 43% jump from a week prior and the highest weekly total since early June.
The city hit a low point in mid-July when weekly cases bottomed out at 43. But cases have crept up since then, and Friday's data marks the third straight week of rising numbers.
The 140 cases in the past week are the most since 880 were reported on June 4. In that case, the number was unusually high because of what the city said was an undercount of 656 cases from previous dates. In the week ending May 28, exactly 300 cases were reported.
In all, the pandemic has brought 6,041 confirmed cases to the city.
Even before Friday's numbers were reported, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health already included Worcester among cities and towns with recent case rates of concern.
In the two weeks ending Wednesday, Worcester had 7.5 cases per 100,000, compared to a statewide average of 4.6. That places Worcester in a yellow category — below red, the most severe — with 10 other Central Massachusetts communities, including Clinton, Holden, Marlborough, Northbridge, Westborough and others.
About a dozen Massachusetts cities and towns are in the most severe category of cases, with more than 8 cases per 100,000, which Worcester narrowly missed.
The spike comes as colleges in Worcester have begun their fall semesters. Some colleges have posted their own testing results for COVID.
College of the Holy Cross, for example, has had 11 positive tests, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute has had 10, though none in the past week. Clark University had had four, but none in the last week. UMass Medical School said it has had 11 since late June, but hasn't reported results so far in September. Worcester State University said it has had no positive cases.
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