WESTFIELD- The number of weekly COVID-19 cases in the area dropped this week as the state numbers seemingly stabilized after a slight increase in recent weeks.
The City of Westfield reported just five new cases this week bringing the total number of cases since the pandemic began in Westfield to 507. There are 12 active cases in the city.
One more person has died from complications due to COVID-19 in the city, bringing the total number of deaths to 56.
Southwick Health Director Tammy Spencer said that there was just one new COVID-19 case in Southwick. That case is the lone active case in the town. The total number of cases in Southwick stands at 68 since the beginning of the pandemic.
Westfield Health Director Joseph Rouse said Wednesday evening after the results were reported that the health department would only be reporting the numbers weekly on Wednesdays at 4 p.m.. He said that this is subject to change if the infection rate begins to increase.
“It’s good right now relatively, all things considered. It’s stable,” said Rouse.
Rouse said that the Health Department has not found that many of the cases reported in Westfield recently have led to hospitalizations.
Despite the relatively low infection rate right now, Rouse cautioned residents to look at what has happened in other states across the country where COVID-19 infections have spun out of control.
“We have to be careful. You can see what is happening around the country. You can see the [hot spot] states. States where you cannot travel to now without receiving a negative test or quarantining for 14 days on return,” said Rouse.
He noted how Rhode Island was recently added to a list of states under travel advisory for Massachusetts, and said that he is concerned that a neighboring state is experiencing rising infection rates.
Earlier this week, Rouse spoke before the School Committee to urge them to make schools continue with remote learning until at least January. He said he anticipates further outbreaks if schools do reopen for in-person learning too soon.
“This could be the thing that sends us over the edge into a rebound. That’s not my opinion, that is an actual fact,” said Rouse. “All it takes is one case in any school and that school has the potential to be shut down at the very beginning.”
