WESTFIELD – The City of Westfield reported 98 new confirmed COVID-19 cases this week, a drop from the previous week’s all-time-high of 136 new cases.
The 98 new cases brought Westfield’s total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases to 1,519 since the beginning of the pandemic. One additional COVID-19 related death was reported in Westfield this week. 84 Westfield residents are now confirmed to have died of the virus.
A total of 147 residents with active COVID-19 cases were in isolation as of Wednesday evening when the weekly report was released.
Health Director Joseph Rouse has said in previous weeks that Westfield was in a state of “full-blown community spread” but that there were no identifiable case clusters in the city. Westfield State University has not reported a case since before the remaining students on campus returned home for the end of the semester.
While the number of new cases was lower this week, the number of tests being administered statewide dropped significantly in the days leading up to Christmas and in the days afterwards.
Rouse warned last week that the average age of those being infected in Westfield has increased recently. Previously, it was those under the age of 30 who made up the bulk of infections in Westfield.
After Thanksgiving, the average age began to rise, which Rouse theorized was because younger people likely gathered with their older family members for the holiday. He said that spread may have continued because it is those who are aged 30 to 65 that are working the most right now, meaning the virus could be spreading through workplaces.
