Pittsfield Rebounds From COVID Surges in Time for Thanksgiving
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city is recovering from the two COVID-19 surges that occurred this fall and is on the low end of the red incidence rate.
"Right now what we're experiencing is the downfall of the two searches that we had this fall," Director of Public Health Andy Cambi reported to the City Council on Tuesday.
Cases are now on the lower end of the "red zone," with 15.9 daily cases per 100,000 and a positivity rate of 5.8 percent on Monday. There are about 30 estimated actively contagious cases in the city.
In mid-October, there were nearly 40 cases per 100,000 and a positivity rate of 13 percent.
To reach the yellow transmission rate, a community must have 10 or more average cases per 100,000 or a positivity rate of 5 percent or higher.
Because these metrics don't include at-home tests, Cambi has indicated that the city's Biobot sewage testing is the truest way to gauge the virus's impact on the community.
That metric is also showing a downturn, with virus concentration levels at around 507,000 copies per liter, while they were over 2.5 million copies per liter in mid-October.
There are currently about four patients hospitalized at Berkshire Medical Center and none in the intensive care unit.
Cambi reminded the panel of last year's holiday surge that pushed the city into the red zone and said residents should always be thinking about protecting themselves.
Councilor at Large Earl Persip III motioned to discontinue updates until they are needed and all voted in favor except Councilor at Large Peter White.
As the city moves into year three of the pandemic, COVID-19 presentations have become less frequent. The council had previously voted to decrease presentations from every meeting to once a month.
Tags: COVID-19,
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