Boston sees largest jump in COVID-19 cases since June

Mayor speaks out against proposed cuts to MBTA service

Boston logged its single largest one-day total of fresh COVID-19 cases since June today, a grim marker that Mayor Martin Walsh warned could get worse in coming days and weeks.

During a press conference outside of City Hall, Walsh said that the one day increase of cases in the city has climbed steadily, although the positive rate for this week remains at 7.2 percent, the same as the previous week.

Walsh said there were 355 confirmed covid-19 cases recorded today.

Dorchester and Mattapan remain among the neighborhoods with the highest positive rates. In Dorchester zip codes 02122/02124 and 02121/02125 have current week positive rates of 13.5% and 13.6%, respectively. Mattapan’s positive rate is at 12.4 percent.

For the week ending Fri., Nov. 6 an average of 25,000 Bostonians got tested daily. The daily average of new cases increased to 180, up from 128 cases last week, which Walsh attributed to an overall increase in testing.

“The increase in tests means we are going to be able to respond more accurately and effectively to where the virus is spreading and certainly how it is spreading,” said Walsh.

The mayor advised Bostonians not to “host gatherings or attend gatherings, you would think it’s innocent but you don’t know who other people are in contact with.”

“We are also asking people to follow the state advisory to stay home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless you have to go to work or run errands,” said Walsh.

Walsh also commented on the MBTA’s recent proposal for widespread cuts which would eliminate commuter rail service on weekends and after 9 p.m. on weeknights, cease running all ferries, and scrap 25 bus routes, including the 18, which runs along Dorchester Avenue. Service on subways and buses would end at midnight— one hour earlier— under a package of service cuts officials unveiled on Monday.

The proposal, which will be the subject of a month-long public comment period ahead of a final vote in December, would shave more than $130 million from what the T spends on running buses, trains, and ferries.

“This is not the right way to move forward,” said Walsh. “Not for our immediate needs and not for our long term recovery. These cuts undermine our covid responses to be able to have physical distance on trains and busses.”

“It hurts the essential and frontline worker, reduces disability access, delays our climate change goals. I certainly understand that there are budget gaps, but we have to dig deep and protect our future. The responsibility is to find the revenue.”


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