Friday Thursday April 24, 2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advisory Information
Throughout the United States, 869,172 persons contracted COVID-19. 49,963 persons died from the virus according to data received from the John Hopkins University website this morning.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported a total of 46,023 MA residents have tested positive for COVID-19 (as of 4:00 p.m. yesterday). This includes 708 residents of Barnstable County. A total of 139 residents of the Town of Barnstable have tested positive for COVID-19 to date.
The chart below provides the number of positive cases reported per day in the Town of Barnstable during the time period from March 19, 2020 (the date of our first positive case) to April 23, 2020. The green line depicted on this graph is an attempt to show the reader where we are in regards to the “curve” by providing the average number of cases reported per day.
A total of 195,076 persons were tested in Massachusetts for COVID-19; 23.6% of them were found to be positive (compared to 23.8% reported yesterday). Cape Cod Healthcare has issued guidance regarding testing at this link: https://www.capecodhealth.org/medical-services/infectiousdisease/coronavirus/covid-19-testing-process/
Our Public Health Division nurses continue to contact those who were infected to ensure they are
appropriately isolated and with those who have come into contact with them to take the required
quarantine precautions.
Public Health Division staff continue to work full-time responding to complaints as well as routinely
contacting store managers of essential stores, including pharmacies, grocery stores, auto parts stores,
appliance stores, and coffee shops to provide the most- up-to-date guidance and information promoting
social- distancing measures (six feet separations) and ensuring 40% occupancy capacity limits are
enforced where required.
All residents are urged to wear face masks or cloth face coverings a well as maintain a minimum of six
feet from others while out in public to limit exposure to others. We also continue to urge everyone to take
basic precautions which include:
Frequent hand-washing, for 20 seconds with soap.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Cough hygiene – into a tissue when possible (throw it away immediately) or into your arm.
Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, or nose with unwashed hands.
Avoid contact with those who are ill.
Stay home yourself from work or school when ill.
Town officials have been working through the week-end, days and evenings, to keep residents safe. In
addition, we continue to meet and coordinate regularly with local and regional partners to ensure that the
Town is taking any and all appropriate measures to respond to the virus.
The Town of Barnstable Public Health Division will continue to monitor the progress of the COVID-19
cases in Massachusetts, Barnstable County, and within our Town. We will continue to review and post
the most up-to-date information from dependable sources to keep you informed. Our Town has an
emergency response plan for public health emergencies should we need to implement it in the future.
We recommend visiting the following websites with reliable information: Center for Disease Control and the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health. For the latest on case counts, visit the Centers for Diseases
Control website: CDC website. Reported cases globally in real-time are also listed on the John Hopkins
University site.
A Massachusetts hotline 2-1-1 is operating 24/7 to provide updated information and answer questions
regarding the Coronavirus. If you should have any questions, you may call the Massachusetts hotline 2-
1-1 or call us at the Town of Barnstable Public Health Division at 508 862 4644.