Coronavirus cases continue to slowly climb in area | Local News

Confirmed reported coronavirus cases continued to increase at slow pace in the week ending Sept. 13.

In The Sun Chronicle area, the number of reported cases went from 58 in the week ending Sept. 6, to 63 in the week ending Sept. 13. That was an increase of 8%.

The 10 communities covered by The Sun Chronicle and the increase in reported cases are as follows: Attleboro, 19; Foxboro, 3; Mansfield, 10; Norfolk, 3; North Attleboro, 11; Norton, 4; Plainville, 3; Rehoboth, 3; Seekonk, 4, and Wrentham, 3.

The total number of reported cases for the Sun Chronicle region is 48,927.

There were likely many more COVID-19 cases which were not reported to health officials due to home testing kits and the mildness of the disease. Many may get COVID-19 and never realize it.

Statewide, the reported cases also increased from the 2,278 in the week ending Sept. 6, to 2,700 in the week ending Sept. 13. That was an increase of 422 cases, or 18%. It was the 10th consecutive week the virus has added cases.

The total number of confirmed reported cases statewide is 2,060,152.

The number of “probable cases” is 211,153.

The total number of confirmed and probable cases is 2,274,428.

The number of cases reported is likely on the low side at the state level as well because of home testing kits and the mildness of the disease.

The highest number of new cases statewide for one week was recorded on Jan. 14, 2022 at 132,557.

The highest number locally for one week was 3,463 recorded on Jan. 13, 2022.

Most of the cases reported in the area are believed to be caused by the EG.5 variant which is a much weaker version of the original virus that plagued the nation and the world in March of 2020.

Another variant has also emerged. It’s known as the BA.2.86 version of coronavirus.

The elderly continue to be in the most danger from coronavirus. The average age of death from the virus in Massachusetts in the week ending Sept. 13 was 79.

There were 19 confirmed coronavirus deaths in the state in the week ending Sept. 13, and 3 probable deaths.

The greatest number of confirmed deaths in one week occurred early in the pandemic.

In the week ending April 25, 2020, there were 1,170 deaths in the state.

Coronavirus has killed 22,797 Massachusetts residents since the onslaught began in March 2020. Those were confirmed deaths.

The number of confirmed and probable deaths from the virus is 24,858.

The latest number of confirmed deaths in The Sun Chronicle area is 456.

According to the CDC, the pandemic officially ended on May 11 of this year.

George W. Rhodes can be reached at 508-236-0432.