Incidence Rate in the Town of Barnstable
The incidence rate has increased to a fourteen day daily average of 9.8 new cases per day in the Town of Barnstable.
Local, County, State, and National Cumulative Case and Death Counts
A cumulative total of 9,429 Town of Barnstable residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 to date. In Barnstable County, there have been a total of 35,616 confirmed cases and a total of 578 deaths cumulatively. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported there have been a total of 1,596,013 positive cases in the State of Massachusetts and 19,098 deaths from COVID-19 cumulatively to date in the State. In the United States overall, according to the John Hopkins University, there have been 80,850,937 positive Covid-19 patients cumulatively to date, resulting in 990,679 total deaths nationwide as of April 21st, 2022.
Hospitalizations Reported By Cape Cod Healthcare
Cape Cod Healthcare reported on Tuesday April 19th that there were a total of fifteen (15) patients who were being treated for COVID-19 at Cape Cod and Falmouth hospitals. None of the patients required treatment in the intensive care unit.
Hospitalizations in Massachusetts
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, on April 20th, 2022, there were at total of 384 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Massachusetts. Of those 384 patients, 239 patients (62%) were reported to be fully vaccinated for COVID -19 when they contracted COVID-19.
Deaths of Massachusetts Residents During the Past Week
There were thirteen (13) new, confirmed deaths of Massachusetts residents during the past week. The average age of death was 79 years old.
Vaccinations and Boosters of Barnstable County Residents
Ninety-six percent (96%) of our Barnstable County residents who were eligible to receive vaccinations (ages 5 and older) received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine Eighty-five (85%) of our age- eligible residents (ages 5 and older) are fully vaccinated. Sixty (60%) of Barnstable County residents received booster doses after being fully vaccinated.
BA.2, BA.2.12.1, and BA 2.12 Variants
A more contagious Omicron variant, BA.2, has been the most dominant version of COVID-19 in the United States The BA.2 variant accounts for more than 90% of the COVID-19 cases. This variant is more transmissible but is less virulent. It does not make people sicker than the earlier version of Omicron. Although cases are expected to continue to rise in the coming weeks, federal health officials do not expect another surge.
Global variant trackers have found 21 viral offspring associated with BA.2. Most of these look like underachievers with mutations of little consequence to humans. However, two of the mutation offshoots identified as BA.2.12.1 and BA.2.12, have been causing a rise in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in central New York state. One of them, BA.2.12.1, is outpacing BA.2 in other regions.
Prevention Steps
Our community risk level continues to be classified as being “low” by the Centers for Disease Control (C.D.C.). The following prevention guidance information is provided by the C.D.C. based on community risk levels:
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas McKean, RS, CHO,
Director of Public Health