August 14, 2023 COVID-19 Updates | Community Risk Level – Low

COVID-19 Hospital Admission Level Low
COVID-19 Updates

Hospital Admission Level Designation – Low
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) replaced the COVID-19 community levels with COVID-19 hospital admission levels to guide prevention decisions. Hospital admission levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital admissions and the total number of COVID-19 cases in an area. Barnstable County experienced 4.2 new hospital admissions per 100,000 (less than 10.0) during the past week. Therefore this County is currently classified as being at a low COVID-19 hospital admission level.

Reported Case Counts and Deaths
Town of Barnstable: 12,991 total positive residents cumulatively to date, 29 new cases during the last two weeks. Average daily incidence rate 4.2 per 100,000 HIGHER; positivity rate7.87%.
Barnstable County: 51,105 cases, 134 new cases in the last two weeks; 805 deaths cumulatively, One (1) death during the last two weeks; 4.2 average incidence per 100.000 HIGHER; 9.1% positivity HIGHER.
Massachusetts: 2,049,366 cases of State of Massachusetts residents cumulatively to date, 2, 157 cases in the last two weeks; 22,715 deaths cumulatively, two (2) new confirmed deaths reported during the past seven days. The average age of death during the past week was 85 years old. 2.2 average incidence per 100,000 HIGHER; 7.94% positivity HIGHER.

Average Daily Incidence Rate in the Town of Barnstable
The fourteen day average daily incidence rate of Town of Barnstable residents increased to 2.07 new cases per day (4.2 per 100,000 population).

Local Hospitalizations
There were a total of eleven (11) patients being treated for COVID-19 at Cape Cod and Falmouth hospitals on August 5, 2023. None of the patients were in intensive care.

National Update
Deaths and hospitalizations in the United States increased by 10% and 12.5%, respectively, compared to the previous week according to data provided by the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

Global Update
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 1.5 million new COVID-19 cases and over 2,500 deaths were reported during last 28 days (July 10th to August 6, 2023) globally. Currently, reported cases do not accurately represent infection rates due to reduction in testing and reporting.

Prevention Measures
The following prevention measures are recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health:
• Stay home when you are sick and take a test for COVID-19.
• Wearing a mask provides protection against COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, especially when indoors or in crowded spaces.
• Get tested if you develop any symptoms of COVID-19 (even if they are mild) and on day 6 day following an exposure to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
• Isolate if you test positive for COVID-19 (or if test results are pending) and notify your close contacts they may have been exposed. For detailed isolation guidance visit:
o Learn about isolating
o CDC Isolation Guidance
• Follow Massachusetts Exposure Precautions if you have been exposed to COVID-19.
• Gather with others outside or increase ventilation by bringing fresh outdoor air inside when weather permits.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes.
• Practice good hand hygiene by washing hands frequently with soap and water, if soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.
• Follow guidance when travelling: Visit mass.gov/CovidTravel for the latest recommendations related to travel during COVID-19.

Respectfully submitted,

Thomas McKean, RS, CHO,
Director of Public Health
TOWN OF BARNSTABLE