Incidence Rate in the Town of Barnstable
The incidence rate is leveling out to a slightly lower daily average of 3.1 new cases per day in the Town of Barnstable.
Local, County, State, and National Cumulative Case and Death Counts
A cumulative total of 9,263 Town of Barnstable residents have been diagnosed with COVID-19 to date. In Barnstable County, there have been a total of 34,879 confirmed cases and a total of 573 deaths cumulatively. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported there have been a total of 1,562,922 positive cases in the State of Massachusetts and 18,996 deaths from COVID-19 cumulatively to date in the State. In the United States overall, according to the John Hopkins University, there have been 80,103,795 positive Covid-19 patients cumulatively to date, resulting in 980,627 total deaths nationwide as of March 31, 2022.
Hospitalizations Reported By Cape Cod Healthcare
Cape Cod Healthcare reported on March 31st that there were a total of five (5) patients who were being treated for COVID-19 at Cape Cod and Falmouth hospitals. None of the five patients required treatment in the intensive care unit.
Hospitalizations in Massachusetts
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, on March 31, 2022, there were at total of 224 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Massachusetts. Of those 224 patients, 134 patients (60%) were reported to be fully vaccinated for COVID -19 when they contracted COVID-19.
Deaths of Massachusetts Residents During the Past Week
There were a total of ten (10) new, confirmed deaths of Massachusetts residents during the past week. The average age of death was 76 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-four (84%) 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. These percentages have not changed during the past several weeks.
BA.2 Variant
A more contagious Omicron variant, BA.2, is now the dominant version of COVID-19 in the United States The BA.2 variant accounts for nearly 55% of COVID-19 cases that have undergone genetic sequencing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This variant is more transmissible but is less virulent. It does not make people sicker than the earlier version of Omicron according to data from South Africa, the U.K, and among other countries. Although cases are expected to rise in the coming weeks, federal health officials do not expect another surge.
Prevention Steps
Our community continues to be classified by the Centers for Disease Control (C.D.C.) as having a community risk level of LOW. 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