The rise in coronavirus infections in the sunbelt is worrying leaders of Massachusetts cities hardest hit by the pandemic, even as the first wave of cases here continues to recede.
Town by town statistics
Positive testing rates declined for another week in cities with some of the highest cumulative infection rates since January, including Chelsea, Brockton, Lawrence, Everett, Lynn, and Revere, according to municipal case data released weekly by the Department of Health. Public.
But public officials long concerned about a second wave of infections are seeing their fears amplified as cases rise to new levels across the South and West.
“People now look at Arizona, Texas and Florida and say we don’t want to see that second rise and the second peak here because we have been able to flatten the curve,” said the Rev. Mayor Brian Arrigo. “Unfortunately, a second wave will be inevitable at some point. It’s just a matter of being vigilant. “
The number of new cases continues to decline in Revere, where the cumulative positive test rate fell to just under 21% this week from more than 22% last week, according to state data. But Arrigo said he saw an increase in cases after the Memorial Day weekend and expressed concern over a repeat after July 4.
“We are monitoring the numbers very closely in anticipation of another increase, so if we see it happen we can take quick action,” Arrigo said.
In Brockton, where the positive test rate dropped to just over 24% from 25% last week and the number of active cases dropped to just 67 on Wednesday from a high of about 2,900, Mayor Robert Sullivan said that the increases in the states later in their reopens present “a real concern.”
“We know that a second wave will come. That’s a fact, “said Sullivan. “We just don’t know about the scope of it.”
The positive test rate at the hardest hit Chelsea, which has an overall infection rate of over 7,800, fell a full percentage point to just under 35% this week. Lawrence saw her positive test rate drop to 22.6% from almost 24% last week. Everett and Lynn saw their overall positive result rates drop below 25% this week, while Boston’s fell to 15.5% from just under 17%. The state’s cumulative positive rate fell to just over 12% this week from 13% last week.
Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera said future spikes are “absolutely” a concern with leaders from California to Florida and Texas forced to reverse their reopening plans as cases increase.
“That is why we are delaying statewide openings for a week to 10 days in Lawrence,” Rivera said. “Having to close again would double the economic impact on people and companies. We must remain vigilant at all costs. ”
