BOSTON (WHDH) – Massachusetts is just one of four states in the United States that is “on track to contain” the COVID-19 outbreak due to low infection and positive test rates, available ICU beds and a Strong contact tracking program, research suggests.
A model created by the COVID Act Now, a multidisciplinary team of technologists, epidemiologists, health experts, and public policy leaders, shows the Commonwealth, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey as the only states currently on track to contain the virus. . and prevent a second outbreak.
“Cases are steadily declining and Massachusetts COVID readiness meets or exceeds international standards,” wrote the COVID Now Act investigators.
On average, every positive resident of Bay State COVID-19 is infecting 0.76 other people, according to the data.
RELATED: These 25 communities in the State of Bahia have the majority of coronavirus cases
“Because each person is infecting less than another person, the total number of current cases in Massachusetts is decreasing,” the researchers wrote.
As of Wednesday, Massachusetts had a low positive test rate of just 2.5 percent, suggesting “enough aggressive and widespread testing in Massachusetts to detect most new cases,” according to the researchers.
There are around 2,000 ICU beds in Massachusetts, with an estimated 1,295 currently available.
“This suggests that there is likely to be sufficient capacity to absorb a wave of new COVID infections,” the researchers wrote.
The data indicates that Massachusetts has around 2,500 contact trackers. With an average of 222 new cases daily, the researchers said the state only needs 1,110 tracers to track 100 percent of new infections in just 48 hours.
RELATED: Massachusetts Health Officials Release Updated Breakdown of Coronavirus Cases by Town
States that have an “active or imminent outbreak” include Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, and Arizona.
The researchers also suggested that all states should adopt a slow and gradual approach to reopening, similar to the plan that Governor Charlie Baker implemented in Massachusetts.
Click here for more coronavirus coverage.
(Copyright (c) 2020 Sunbeam Television. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed).
