Friday May 6, 2022
Community Risk Level – High
COVID-19 Barnstable Health Update
Incidence Rate in the Town of Barnstable
The incidence rate has increased in the Town of Barnstable to a fourteen day daily average of 12.7 new cases per day (equivalent to 28.6 per100,000).
High Risk Level Classification and Recommendations
At of this date, the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classifies Barnstable County as being at a high community risk level. The following prevention steps are recommended by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
• Wear a mask indoors in public, particularly if you are at high risk for severe illness; or if you have a household contact or in social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease;
• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines;
• Get tested if you have symptoms;
• Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness
BA.2, BA.2.12.1, and BA 2.12 Variants/ More Contagious
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. Scientists have identified twenty-one (21) viral offspring associated with BA.2.
Two of the mutation offshoots identified as BA.2.12.1 and BA.2.12, have been causing a rise in Covid-19 cases. One of them, BA.2.12.1, is spreading rapidly and overtaking the BA.2 Omicron variant. The Centers for Disease Control data released this past Wednesday indicate BA.2.12.1, now makes up 36.5% of all newly-sequenced positive Covid-19 tests. As the variants have spread, cases and hospitalizations have begun to rise as well. The 7-day average number of cases in the country has risen from about 25,000 in late March to more than 56,000 this past week.
Local, County, State, and National Cumulative Case and Death Counts
A cumulative total of 9,640 Town of Barnstable residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 to date. In Barnstable County, there have been a total of 36,592 confirmed cases and a total of 582 deaths cumulatively. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported there have been a total of 1,629,932 positive cases in the State of Massachusetts and 19,181 deaths from COVID-19 cumulatively to date in the State. In the United States overall, according to the John Hopkins University, there have been 81,694,169 positive Covid-19 patients cumulatively to date, resulting in 996,964 total deaths nationwide.
Hospitalizations Reported By Cape Cod Healthcare
Cape Cod Healthcare reported on May 4th that there were a total of fifteen (15) patients who were being treated for COVID-19 at Cape Cod and Falmouth hospitals. Three (3) of the fifteen patients were undergoing treatment in intensive care.
Hospitalizations in Massachusetts
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, on May 5th, 2022, there were at total of 547 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Massachusetts. Of those 547 patients, 356 patients (65%) 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.
Booster Status of Fully-Vaccinated Barnstable County Residents
Sixty-one (61%) of Barnstable County residents received booster doses after being fully vaccinated, compared to 46% of the national population..
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas McKean, RS, CHO,
Director of Public Health
Friday, May 5, 2022 | COVID-19 Update | Community Risk Level – High
