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WESTFORD — Westford’s coronavirus cases have declined slightly week over week according to data published by the Department of Public Health on Thursday.
Between Nov. 6 and Nov. 19, 26 positive cases have been reported in Westford. In those two weeks, Westford reported 29 total positive tests, with 6.26% of 463 tests returning positive.
98,122 total tests have been administered in Westford since the pandemic began.
A total of 5,155 total cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Westford as of Nov. 24. The state has reported over 1.92 million total cases of COVID-19, reporting 9,024 cases in the last two weeks. 5.43% of the total 188,655 tests administered, or 10,246 tests, have returned positive.
As of Nov. 22, 86 of the 96 intensive care unit beds remain occupied in Northeastern Massachusetts, while 945 of the 955 medical and surgical beds remain occupied in the region.
As of Nov. 24, Middlesex County has reported 1,900 positive cases in the last two week period between Nov. 6 and Nov. 19. 5.09%, or 2,165 of 42,566 total tests returned positive in the county.
In the last two weeks, Middlesex County has reported 31 confirmed and probable deaths, while the state has reported 163 confirmed and probable deaths.
Middlesex County considered ‘low’ risk per CDC
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data updated last Wednesday, Middlesex County remains a ‘low’ risk for COVID-19 community transmission.
Middlesex County sees approximately 58 cases per 100,000 residents and approximately 9.5 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents. 2.7% of staffed inpatient beds are occupied with residents with COVID-19.
Worcester County, which borders Middlesex County and Franklin County are considered ‘medium’ risk for COVID-19 community transmission.
New strain becomes predominant strain in Massachusetts
A new COVID-19 variant, related to the Omicron family, is now the predominant strain in Massachusetts.
Last Thursday, the subvariant BQ.1.1 accounted for 39% of total infections in Massachusetts, according to reporting from the Boston Globe.
BQ.1 and its sibling BQ1.1 accounted for nearly half of cases nationally, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The BA.5 variant, which once accounted for over 80% of cases this summer, makes up a little over a quarter of cases last week.
Both Pfizer and Moderna have stated that their current bivalent boosters do trigger an immune response against the new variants.
The bivalent COVID-19 booster was authorized for children as young as 5-years-old on Oct. 12. It is still unclear as to when updated boosters will become available for younger children.
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