Beverly Hospital Sees Fewer Coronavirus Admissions

BEVERLY, MA —Beverly Hspital was treating 30 patients with the new coronavirus as of Tuesday, down from a peak of 62 on April 28.

The drop, along with a decline in the number of confirmed cases, shows "our shared efforts to slow the spread of this virus have been working," Mayor Mike Cahill said in a message to Beverly residents. Cahill said social distancing and other efforts have "cut the infection rate and the death toll by anywhere from 1/2 to 2/3."

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Still, Beverly has 575 confirmed cases and there have been 75 reported coronavirus-related deaths of residents since the first Massachusetts coronavirus case was reported on Feb. 1.

Cahill said while some businesses can now reopen under the state's four-phase reopening plan, no businesses are required to open. He said city hall would remain closed and city meetings would continue to be held remotely while a ban on gatherings of more than 10 people remains in place.

"Our ability to continue on this path relies directly on our own actions going forward," Cahill said. So please, it is just as important today to keep a physical distance, to wear our face coverings, wash our hands, stay home from work when we feel sick, and for that matter to stay home whenever we can, as it was important when we began this journey together over two months ago."

More Coronavirus Coverage On Massachusetts Patch:

• What Return To Work Will Look Like For Office Workers
• MA Coronavirus Case, Death Count Higher Than Most Countries
• Coronavirus Case Counts For Every Massachusetts Town (Updated May 13)

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).