Page 4 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, June 19, 2020 The Coronavirus count State reports 8 new confi rmed Saugus COVID-19 cases; town has 21st highest COVID-19 rate in the state By Mark E. Vogler or the first time since late March, there were fewer than 10 new confi rmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Saugus – a possible indication that the Coronavirus may be slowing down as the town entered its second week of Phase 2 in Governor Charlie Baker’s Reopening plan. There were only eight new cases of Saugus residents testing positive for the virus over the past week, bringing the total of confi rmed cases to 553 – a 1.5 percent increase, according to new data released late Wednesday afternoon by the state Department of Public Health (DPH). Meanwhile, the DPH notifi ed the town that its death total from the virus had risen to 34 – an increase of three over the same period. No information was available on the Saugus residents who died from the virus. As of Wednesday, DPH offi cials reported 7,152 deaths statewide linked to COVID-19. Of those, 979 have been reported in Essex County. The DPH has been releasing numbers of COVID-19 cases for all 351 municipalities, broken down by city and town, every Wednesday. The agency on its website will post the number of cases of people testing positive for the Coronavirus, and the number of cases per 100,000. The 553 cases reported for Saugus averages out to a rate of 1,945.44 per 100,000 – which is above the state average of 1,459.12 per 100,000 and is the 21st highest rate 505 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 Tel: 617-387-1120 www.gkdental.com • Family Dentistry • Crowns • Bridges • Veneers/Lumineers • Dental Implants • All on 4 Dental Implants • Emergency Dentist • Kid Friendly Dentist • Root Canals • Dentures • Invisalign Braces • Snap On Smile • Teeth Whitening We are the smile care experts for your entire family F among all communities across the state, according to the data released Wednesday. But offi cials believe the numbers are substantially underreported in most communities because of the lack of aggressive testing for the virus. “The Saugus Health Department strongly believes that additional unrecognized cases DO exist in Saugus,” the town advised in a press release. “Due to the fact that they are undetected, some of these infected individuals may not be properly isolated or quarantined, which is why Gov. Baker has a safer at home advisory and continues to strongly request that everyone wear a cloth face cover over their face when around others, practice social distancing, avoid gatherings, and to follow the CDC and MDPH guidance.” Of the 3,136 people tested in Saugus so far, 17.63 percent tested positive for COVID-19 – a drop from last week (18.91 percent). The state average for people testing positive is 13.97 percent, also a reduction from last week (15 percent). As of Wednesday, there were 15,703 confi rmed cases of COVID-19 reported in Essex County, the third highest among the state’s 14 counties. There were 106,151 confi rmed cases of the Coronavirus statewide and 7,734 virus-related deaths. There were 1,057 COVID-19-related deaths in Essex County, the third highest among the state’s 14 counties. Nursing home update Of the total 34 COVID-19-related deaths reported in Saugus this week, the town’s two nursing homes accounted for 23 of them. There were 17 deaths reported at the Chestnut Woods Rehabilitation and Health Care Center, which is licensed for 88 total beds. There have been more than 30 cases of confi rmed COVID-19 at the facility. There were six deaths reported at Saugus Rehabilitation and Nursing, a longterm care facility licensed for 80 beds. There have been more than 30 cases of confi rmed of COVID-19 at the facility. The most recent Nursing In House Dental Plan for $399 (Cleanings, X-Rays, Exams twice a year and 20% OFF Dental work) Schedule your FREE Consultations today Facility Audit Survey Results through June 12 show that both local nursing homes were “in adherence” with a recent 28-point Infection Control Checklist after being defi cient in the fi rst round of audits. The latest state reports showed that 100 percent of the residents and 93 percent of the staff at both facilities had been tested for COVID-19. How Saugus compares to neighboring communities As of press time yesterday, town offi cials were unaware of any additional deaths of Saugus residents infected with the virus since the three deaths reported earlier in the week. Meanwhile, town residents are able to compare the number of COVID-19 cases confi rmed in Saugus to those in neighboring cities and towns as well as communities of similar size by going to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website at https:// www.mass.gov/info-details/ covid-19-response-reporting, then click onto COVID-19 cases by city/town. Chelsea (7,659.63 per 100,000), Brockton (4,246.39 per 100,000) and Lawrence (3,904.69 per 100,000) have the highest rates in the state for people testing positive for the Coronavirus. Here’s how nine other area communities compare to Saugus: Lynn: 3,548 cases, 3,516.24 per 100,000 (5th highest in state). Revere: 1,733 cases, 2,844.89 per 100,000 (6th highest in state). Everett: 1,724 cases, 3,551.97 per 100,000 (4th highest in state). Malden: 1,211 cases, 1,787.36 per 100,000 (30th highest in state). Peabody: 969 cases, 1,737.62 per 100,000. Saugus: 553 cases, 1,945.44 per 100,000 (21st highest in state). Wakefield: 309 cases, 1,144.24 per 100,000. Melrose: 240 cases, 829.81 per 100,000. Reading: 293 cases, 1,066.08 per 100,000. Lynnfi eld: 93 cases, 798.35 per 100,000. Statewide totals: 101,654 cases, 1,459.12 per 100,000. (Data compiled by DPH and made public as of June 17, 2020, count and rate [per 100,000] of confirmed COVID-10 cases in Massachusetts by city/town, January 1, 2020– June 17, 2020.) On its website, the DPH noted that the rate specifying the number of cases per 100,000 “provides a standardized way to compare the burden of disease in cities and towns regardless of the size of their population.” The DPH stressed “these are reported cases only.” CORONAVIRU | SEE PAGE 18
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