Coronavirus Updates For Western New England: Testing At The Big E, And Concern In Franklin County

There’s a troubling spike in the death rate from COVID-19 in one western Massachusetts county, according to state data. 

Lawmakers in Franklin County wrote a letter to state officials expressing concern that the average death rate there — among people who have tested positive — is about 12%, compared to a statewide average of 1.8%.

State Senator Jo Comerford said an older demographic in the county is not necessarily enough to explain the spike.

“We also know that there have been some barriers to good public health as a result of Franklin County being a rural area and disproportionately of low income currently,” Comerford said. “We need more data to fully understand these numbers and the depths of these numbers.”

Franklin County lawmakers noted the situation was brought to light by reporting published in Commonwealth magazine. They’re now seeking more specific data on COVID-19 deaths from state officials, including a county-by-county breakout by age.

A later surge in parts of the region

While Massachusetts officials are predicting a surge of COVID-19 cases in mid-April, it could be quite a bit later in western Mass. Baystate Health CEO Dr. Mark Keroack said Monday it's looking more likely the region's cases will peak in May, or possibly even early June.

"And that's really our goal," he said. "Our goal is to do a nice slow burn here which doesn't exhaust the capacity of our hospital systems. And not to have some big explosion, like they had in northern Italy and are currently having in New York, which causes the whole system to be overwhelmed."

Keroack said the current data at Baystate suggests the region's response has worked to limit a more rapid spread in cases. But that's not guaranteed.

"Which direction we go depends very much in our community, and their willingness to tolerate — maybe even for longer than we expected — some of these so-called social distancing guidelines," Keroack said.

New state data show there have been more than 1,400 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in western Massachusetts, with 63 deaths.

The virus around New England

Statewide, Massachusetts officials announced 29 new deaths attributable to COVID-19 in their Monday update, with 1,337 patients testing positive for the first time. In the course of the pandemic, Massachusetts has recorded 260 deaths and 13,837 total cases.

Connecticut on Monday announced 17 additional deaths of patients testing positive for COVID-19, bringing its total to 206 so far. The state has recorded 6,906 positive tests, including more than 1,200 new laboratory-confirmed cases announced Monday.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Vermont increased to 543, up 31 from Sunday. The number of deaths tied to COVID-19 in Vermont increased by one in Monday's update, for a total of 23.

Rhode Island officials reported two more deaths in their update Monday, bringing the state's total to 27, with 1,082 people testing positive.

Maine's death toll held steady on Monday, at 10. The state has announced 499 laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19.

New Hampshire's total of COVID-19-related deaths also did not increase Monday, holding at 9. To date, 715 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in New Hampshire.

Testing site coming to the Big E

New coronavirus testing sites in Lowell and West Springfield will be established this week, Gov. Charlie Baker said Monday. The testing site in Lowell will be run in partnership with CVS, Baker said, and more details will be announced Tuesday.

"That will be done probably on an appointment basis and we'll work through a variety of communities such as first responders and others, and public safety, who we've tried to make these drive through test sites available to in other parts of Massachusetts," the governor said. "There's another one that will be going up probably later this week at the Big E in West Springfield."

On Sunday, the governor toured a drive-through testing site at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Testing capacity has been a focus of the administration for weeks as Massachusetts has tried to get its arms around the full scale and scope of COVID-19 infections in the state. Baker set a goal of at least 3,500 new tests each day and Massachusetts has hit that mark most days for the last two weeks or so.

On Monday, the Department of Public Health said there were 4,492 new tests conducted between midday Sunday and midday Monday, bringing the state's total number of tests conducted to 76,429. 

Feds to aid vets in hard-hit Massachusetts nursing homes

Federal officials will provide aid to veterans at Massachusetts nursing homes that have been hard hit in the coronavirus pandemic. U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie said Sunday at a White House briefing that the federal Department of Veterans Affairs will provide the assistance at two nursing homes in the state, though he didn't say which.

Up to 22 residents have died at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home while infected with COVID-19, according to numbers released Monday by the state. Of those, 18 tested positive, three tests are pending and one is listed as unknown. Three other recently deceased residents of the home tested negative for the disease. All current residents and employees have also been tested, with 59 residents and 31 staff testing positive.

Three residents have also died at the Chelsea Soldiers’ Home.

Connecticut looks to boost COVID-19 testing capacity

A company based in Stamford, Connecticut, said Monday it will analyze thousands of coronavirus tests, joining a cohort that includes Jackson Labs of Farmington and other private labs. The company, Sema4, said in a news release that it will analyze up to 6,000 COVID-19 tests per week at its Branford laboratory. It’s also promising a fast turnaround for results: one to two days.

The testing boost is likely to be needed as the virus continues its surge across Fairfield and New Haven counties. As of Sunday, those two regions accounted for roughly 80% of Connecticut’s coronavirus-related hospitalizations.

Gov. Ned Lamont has repeatedly said he wants to build out the state’s COVID-19 testing capacity. Over the last week, the state averaged a little under 1,500 COVID-19 tests each day. Since late February, the state public-health laboratory in Rocky Hill performed around 2,700 tests. 

Lamont said the peak of the coronavirus outbreak is still a few weeks away for Fairfield County, more than a month away for New Haven County and maybe won't hit the eastern part of the state until mid-June. The governor said Monday in an interview on Connecticut Public Radio that he continues to be frustrated by not being able to get ventilators and other medical supplies and equipment from the federal government.

Boston tightens restrictions as ‘surge’ nears

As Boston prepares for a coming surge of COVID-19 patients, Mayor Martin Walsh announced "strict new measures for social and physical distancing," including advising all residents to stay at home between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. regardless of their destination or purpose, asking all residents to wear a mask or face covering when outside their own homes, and closing city basketball courts.

Walsh recommended residents aged 65 or older not leave their homes unless for an absolute necessity. He said for that age group, even taking a walk outside “is discouraged for the next few weeks, and exercising inside the home instead is encouraged as an alternative.”

Vermont has 200 ventilators, seeks hundreds more amid virus

Gov. Phil Scott said Vermonters need to prepare for what could be a bleak time over the next few weeks as the state continues efforts to control the outbreak of COVID-19, but there are glimmers of hope.

Scott and other officials said Monday the evidence shows that people staying home is having the desired effect. The most likely scenarios for the outbreak show Vermont will have enough supplies to meet demands. It has more than 200 ventilators and is pursuing more from federal officials and other suppliers.

Prison worker in New Hampshire tests positive

New Hampshire's Department of Corrections said an employee who works at the state prison for men in Concord has tested positive for the coronavirus and is quarantined at home. A spokeswoman said the department learned late Friday that the employee tested positive.

The employee last worked at the prison on March 25 and didn't return until Wednesday, April 1, but was denied entry based on the COVID-19 screening process.

Wynn Resorts extends pay during closure, but not MGM 

Wynn Resorts last week announced it would keep paying its employees at least through mid-May, even as its casinos — including one outside Boston — remain closed by the pandemic. 

MGM Resorts said it's given employees, full and part-timers, two weeks of pay from when they were furloughed. For many, that's already run out. The company is continuing health insurance coverage through the end of June, paying the full premium.

An MGM spokeswoman did not answer when asked if the company was considering extending pay, as Wynn Resorts has, but she said there's an emergency grant fund. It now has $10 million in it, she said, and employees can apply for assistance.

NEPR’s Heather Brandon, Sam Hudzik and Carrie Healy contributed to this report, which includes information from State House News Service, WNPR and The Associated Press.