Pittsfield Experiencing Mini COVID Surge

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is experiencing a "mini" COVID-19 surge, Director of Public Health Andy Cambi confirmed on Tuesday.

"Pretty big news today," he said to the City Council. "For the COVID update for this month, [I'm] here to report that we are experiencing a mini-surge for our fall season with COVID cases."

On Monday, the positivity rate was 9.8 percent and there were 41.6 daily cases per 100,000 people, compared to an 8 percent positivity rate and an average daily case rate of 28.6 one month ago.

There are 103 estimated actively contagious cases in the city.

Pittsfield remains in the red incident rate, meaning that there are 10 or more average cases per 100,000 people and there is a 5 percent or larger positivity rate.

Cambi reported that the city has not exceeded 20 daily COVID hospitalizations, with about 18 last reported by Berkshire Health Systems, and is still "relatively low" with daily hospital services.


He explained that the biggest indicator of COVID's impact on the community is its Biobot wastewater testing, which is showing about 1.6 million copies per liter.  

"I think it's important now that we kind of take a look at our virus concentration in sewage to get a community gauge of the impact that COVID is having on the season," Cambi said.

Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey pointed out that the sewage concentration is more than double what it was in May but there are half the cases.  

Cambi confirmed that sewage testing is the best indicator, as it takes at-home tests into account, while the other metrics do not.

Kavey also asked for information on Bivalent booster and the public health director said there needs to be more community engagement statewide and locally for it, which is being worked on.

"We're actually possibly looking at getting the booster in-house, our public health nurse is working with the state to be offering that," Cambi reported. "So we might be able to do our own clinics, just the health department, small clinics. So that's also in the works."


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Historic Wahconah Park Grandstand Almost Leveled

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — If you want to catch a last glimpse of the remaining Wahconah Park grandstand, you need to hurry.  

The historic grandstand is currently being demolished, with only a couple of the major structures remaining. Pittsfield is also working on what comes next for the park, and how baseball will return next year. 

Parks, Open Space, and Natural Resources Manager James McGrath said if people want to see the last of the structure, they should head down by the end of this week because "by Thursday or Friday it probably will entirely be down."

"It's moving quickly now that they're into the active demo phase," he told the Parks Commission on Tuesday. 

"…Certainly, I think by the end of September we'll see cleanup and, if you will, the big hole where the stadium sat. That all will be filled to grade." 

The more than 75-year-old structure was deemed unsafe in 2022, and planners determined that starting from square one is the best option.

On Sept. 3, the Conservation Commission issued 36 orders of conditions for the reconstruction of the ballpark. 

Conservation Agent Shannon Poulin pointed out that the application has gone through many revisions; reconstruction cannot begin until a certificate of compliance for the demolition is issued. 

The project crew will have an on-site meeting on Friday morning and consider two avenues of revitalization: The funding, last estimated around $15 million, and a financial strategy coming together through the mayor so that Pittsfield can move into an active build next year, or a longer process where the field is utilized before a new grandstand is built. 

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