Pittsfield Back in 'Yellow Zone' for COVID-19 Transmission

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Following the holiday weekend, the city has dipped into the yellow incidence rate for COVID-19 transmission.

On Tuesday, the percent positivity rate was 4.3, down from 5.3 last week. To be in the yellow zone, a community must have 10 or fewer average cases per 100,000 people or have a 5 percent or less positivity rate.

The average case rate was 29.1 on Tuesday, a metric that has stayed rather steady since mid-June.

The city is still close to the red zone, which is categorized by having equal to or more than 10 average cases per 100,000 and having a five percent or higher positivity rate in a 14-day period.

There are 54 estimated actively contagious cases in the city with 14 new cases on Tuesday. There have been more than 12,000 cases total. 

In mid-May, Pittsfield saw a surge that skyrocketed the percent positivity rate to almost 15 and the average case rate to over 130 cases per 100,000 people. There were more than 370 estimated actively contagious cases. 

There are currently three patients hospitalized at Berkshire Medical Center who have the virus. During the time of the mid-May surge, there were more than 20 hospitalizations.

Though the metrics have decreased, the city's Biobot sewage testing is showing an increase.  This testing is said to predict trends with the virus.


On Sunday, the seven-day average for virus concentration was 732.8 thousand copies per liter.  A couple of weeks ago, the virus concentration was 366.1 thousand copies per liter.

Following the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's approval of vaccination for children under the age of 5, Berkshire Health Systems began to schedule vaccine clinics for infants and toddlers.

On July 9, the BHS testing and vaccine center will provide vaccinations for children under the age of 5 from 8:30 to noon. Each month beginning Saturday, Aug. 6, BHS will have pediatric vaccine clinics in Pittsfield on the first Saturday of the month, serving children under age 5 from 8:30 to noon and children 5 to 11 from 12:30 to 4 p.m.

Berkshire County's seven-day average on Tuesday was 33 and there were 105 new cases. In mid-May, the seven-day average was more than 130.


 


Tags: COVID-19,   


More Coronavirus Updates

Keep up to date on the latest COVID-19 news:


If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories