Waltham Returns To Red: High Risk For COVID-19, As Cases Rise

WALTHAM, MA — Waltham is once again considered a city at high risk of spreading the coronavirus, according to weekly state data released Thursday evening. According to state town-by-town data, the city added 406 cases over the past two weeks and had an 4.11 percent positive test rate.

Waltham Director of Public Health Michelle Feeley said it's not because of restaurants.

"Restaurants are doing fine. They are working hard to protect their staff and customers," she said.

What is causing the increase in numbers is community spread.

"Household spread is 42 percent of cases," said Waltham Director of Public Health Michelle Feeley. "Social gatherings since Thanksgiving are on the rise. Businesses are starting to see more cases. This could be in part of gatherings outside of the workplace."

Feeley said this is how community spread works. One person is asymptomatic or with symptoms thinking it's allergies or a cold, they give it to another person and then it trickles out.

"There is no 'hot spot' its throughout the entire City," she said.

The city reported that as of Thursday some 2,723 people had tested positive for the virus. The city also updated the number of recovered patients to 1,958. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the city has reported 79 people have died because of the virus.

Waltham's two-week average positive test rate rose from 3.24 percent last week to 4.11 percent Thursday. The two-week case count rose from 301 to 406.

The city had 43.6 average daily cases per 100,000 residents, below the statewide rate of 65.1. Waltham reported 10,694 tests in the past two weeks, with 439 positive results.

Statewide, over half of city and towns were designated high risk Thursday, the first time that label has applied to the majority of communities. Positive test rates rose in 275 communities.

The state reported 4,985 coronavirus cases and 44 deaths Thursday. The seven-day average of hospitalized patients was 1,761, up from 1,498 a week prior. There were 383 patients in intensive care Thursday.

Amid warnings that the coronavirus surge was about to break records, several Boston-area municipal leaders —including neighboring Newton and Arlington, which are both yellow— announced restrictions that go further than the restrictions Gov. Charlie Baker instituted last week. Waltham did not join.

In October, the Waltham Board of Health declared a Public Health Emergency and instituted a mandatory face mask order.

"What people can do is wear their mask, it does not eliminate it hopefully helps to reduce," Feeley said Friday, asking people to wash their hands, avoid touching their faces, distance themselves from people, 6ft or more and stay home if they aren't feeling well.

She also implored residents to answer the call if the MA Covid team or the nurses from the Waltham Health Department call, so they can figure out quickly who else may have it unwittingly and get them to stay home, too.

With the holidays approaching, she said people should only celebrate with their immediate households.

"Its hard to ask that of people but we want people safe," she said. "We want to slow and stop the spread of this virus. We want to get through this as quickly as we can. We have a good few months left, hopefully not much more than that. Let's all work together and do our part to fight together. Think of yourself. Your loved ones, friends, and strangers."

Also read:

Greater Boston Communities Plan To Enact More Strict COVID Rules

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.