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As COVID-19 Cases Rise Across Mass., BC Maintains Relatively Low Rate

The University reported three additional undergraduate cases of COVID-19 out of 2,995 undergraduate tests between the Tuesday and Thursday updates of the COVID-19 dashboard, a positivity rate of 0.10 percent. Five undergraduates have now tested positive this week out of 4,619 tests, a rate of .11 percent.

Two non-undergraduates also tested positive this week out of 1,255 tests.

The University’s undergraduate positivity rate remains low in relation to the state’s positivity rate of 1.55 percent.

“The number of new cases has been increasing over the last several days, with the last four days clocking in at over 1,000 new cases per day,” Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker said at a press conference on Tuesday. “Numerically, we haven’t seen cases this high since May.”

The Commonwealth has placed the City of Boston into the high-risk category for COVID-19, which includes cities and towns with an average of more than eight daily cases per 100,000 residents over two weeks. Newton remains in the moderate-risk category, with between four and eight cases per 100,000 residents.

Boston reported an average of 15.8 daily cases per 100,000 residents between Oct. 11 and Oct. 24, while Newton reported 5.6 cases per 100,000 residents.

BC reported that 20 undergraduates were in isolation as of Thursday—with nine in isolation housing and 11 isolating at home—and that 211 undergraduates had recovered.

The University reported that it had conducted 76,384 total tests, with 240 total positive cases, through Wednesday. These numbers include 55,208 undergraduate tests, with 231 undergraduate cases.

Featured Image by Jess Rivilis / Heights Editor

October 30, 2020