Hours after Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker cautioned against drawing conclusions from a five-day drop in new confirmed COVID-19 cases, that streak came to an end with the Department of Public Health's report of 1,745 new cases Wednesday, up from 1,556 on Tuesday.
The number of deaths newly reported Wednesday, 221, is the state's highest of any single day of the pandemic, bringing the fatality count to 2,182. Fifty-five percent of those deaths were in long-term care facilities.
The new deaths include 34 in western Massachusetts, with 27 in Hampden County (for a total of 271), four in Hampshire County (14 total), two in Berkshire County (31) and one in Franklin County (30).
Baker, in his daily briefing, said hospitalization rates are the "piece of data we watch most closely." As of Wednesday, 9% of the 42,944 confirmed COVID-19 patients were hospitalized, according to DPH data.
The state Wednesday also released updated town-by-town case numbers. Last week, Williamstown had the fourth highest rate of cases per 100,000 residents, and the highest in western Massachusetts. This week Holyoke had the most concerning rate among the region’s communities, with the ninth highest in the state (1,150). Williamstown (1099), Longmeadow (1025) and Agawam (853) were the other western Mass. communities toward the top of the list. All have had major outbreaks at long-term care facilities.
With schools to remain shuttered for the rest of the academic year, Baker and Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders on Wednesday announced a new stipend, under a federally approved pilot program, for families to buy healthy foods while their students are unable to access free or reduced-price school lunches.
In a separate effort also aimed at helping struggling families, the Senate Ways and Means Committee began moving a bill that would ban the Department of Transitional Assistance from denying family or individual assistance under a pair of programs because "countable resources" exceed allowable limits.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston reported that 17% of homeowners with mortgages and 35% of renters with cash rent are at risk of falling behind on their payments amid the economic turmoil brought on by the pandemic and related public health measures. Despite another month of rising sale prices in March, the housing market faces an uncertain future.
Despite the volatility, officials at the state pension fund are confident in their ability to pay out about $1.3 billion in pension benefits this year.
As policymakers begin talking about what will likely be a highly regulated economic reopening on the other side of the COVID-19 surge, an independent policy research group is recommending roughly a doubling in current testing as one criteria to be met before the state is ready. The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women put forward its own slate of recommendations for additional steps the state should take in its virus response, including measures around mental health, economic impacts, and access to care.
State House News Service reporter Katie Lannan wrote the bulk of this story, which includes additional information from NEPR's Sam Hudzik.
