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The Cambridge Public Health Department reported Tuesday that the number of coronavirus cases in Cambridge has surpassed 1,000.
Massachusetts has seen a decline in new hospitalizations from COVID-19 since April, but the Commonwealth still has the third highest cases per capita of any state in the nation — more than 1,400 positive cases per 100,000 people.
Cambridge Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui and City Manager Louis A. DePasquale said the “milestone” of 1,000 positive cases serves as a reminder of the ongoing public health emergency in a statement released Tuesday.
“These milestones are solemn reminders that we are still in the midst of a public health emergency,” they wrote. “This global pandemic has taken a terrible toll on the entire Cambridge community, particularly our most vulnerable. Our continued compliance with public health guidance will allow our city to minimize further impacts caused by COVID-19.”
As of June 2, the city reported 1,008 cases of coronavirus, 94 deaths, and 207 recoveries.
Claude A. Jacob, Cambridge’s Chief Public Health Officer and Director of the Cambridge Public Health Department, wrote that those who have been most affected by the disease within the city were older residents and minority residents.
“Sadly, many of the deaths were among frail elderly residents of our nursing homes and a disproportionate share of this disease has been born by people of color, particularly Black and African-American residents of our city,” Jacob said in a statement Tuesday.
In early April, testing conducted by the Broad Institute revealed more than 200 cases of coronavirus in Cambridge’s seven nursing homes.
More recent data released by the city shows that 26 percent of the city’s cases are attributed to residents living in nursing facilities, while Black residents who have tested positive comprise 20 percent of Cambridge’s total case count.
Although cases have surpassed 1,000, Cambridge has a “relatively high rate of testing” and a low positivity rate compared to other cities in the state, according to the city’s announcement.
In his statement, Jacob encouraged residents to continue wearing masks and practice social distancing.
“The high rate of testing in Cambridge is a strong indicator that many of the measures that the city and residents have taken are working,” the statement reads. “We urge everyone to stay vigilant about physical distancing and wearing a face covering when outside the home.”
—Staff Writer Maria G. Gonzalez can be reached at maria.gonzalez@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @mariaagrace1.
