Coronavirus: Norton Confirms Third Positive Test In Town

NORTON, MA — The Norton Board of Health on Thursday confirmed the town's third positive test for the new coronavirus. Norton Board of Health Agent Christian Zahner said all three patients are self-quarantined in their respective houses.

"The Norton Board of Health's staff has been working round the clock conducting surveillance and investigations and so far we feel extremely blessed that we have maintained such a small number of confirmed cases," Zahner said in a letter to the community. "We are all hoping that this case number will remain at a low level but we also realize that these case numbers could spike at any moment. We believe that a big reason that the numbers have remained low is a credit to the residents of Norton who have all taken the 'Stay Home' orders from the governor very seriously.

"While our main focus as a community is to 'Stop the Spread' I also want to remind everyone to reach out to your friends and family, via one of our many technology options, and just touch base. The emotional toll that this pandemic is creating right now is almost as dangerous as the disease itself. People are scared. They are losing their jobs. They are concerned about making ends meet and being able to provide as well as protect their families," Zahner continued.

Nearly 148,000 Massachusetts residents applied for unemployment benefits in the days after Gov. Charlie Baker closed schools and restaurant dining rooms and limited the size of public gatherings. During the same week a year ago, just 4,200 Massachusetts residents filed for unemployment.

The biggest weekly claims number in Massachusetts during the Great Recession came in December 2008, when 22,028 people filed for unemployment during a single week. In 2008, however, layoffs came in waves over the course of several months.

Previously on Patch: MA Hotel, Restaurant Workers Losing Jobs In Latest Layoff Report

The new data covers claims filed between March 15, the day Baker first ordered shutdowns, and March 21. Nationally, 3.28 million workers filed for unemployment benefits. Unlike the national figures, the statewide numbers are not seasonally adjusted.

"Making sure we reach out to one another as often as possible can be an important step in keeping the emotions, and mental stress, hopefully to a more manageable level so that when this is over, returning to normalcy may not look so far away for some," Zahner said. "We are all in this together as a community. Let's stick together through these tough times and support one another!"

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