Baker Sick Amid COVID Surge; tests negative for viruses

COVID

The number of positive cases has been increasing steadily since mid-March.

Late Tuesday morning, Gov. Charlie Baker’s staff cleared his schedule for the remainder of the day, which included two public events, the State House News Service reported. It appeared Baker was ill, but officials confirmed he was not ill with COVID-19.

“Governor Baker is not feeling well and will not be attending any public events in person today. The governor is virtually attending meetings today and has tested negative for COVID-19,” spokesman Terry MacCormack said in a statement.

Though the governor has dodged the virus, the number of positive cases continues to rise across the state. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reported Monday that there were 10,789 new confirmed cases since last Thursday. In addition, 973 “probable” cases were reported. The department also listed 739 patients currently hospitalized with the virus.

The seven-day moving average of new confirmed cases across Massachusetts as of Monday is 3,318.9, according to the MDPH. That average has been trending up since March 13, when the department listed it as 601.7. The lowest average ever recorded was 64.1 on June 25, 2021. The highest value was 23,197.7 on January 8, 2022.

While many have adjusted to lower numbers and a lull from the COVID scare in the warmer months, officials are advising caution.

“Despite the warmer weather and our shared hope for some sort of respite, it’s important to recognize that COVID-19 is still with us, and we must continue to use the tried and tested public health measures and tools at our disposal to bring about a preventing infection and the spread of disease,” said Carole Allen, president of the Massachusetts Medical Society, according to the SHNS. “Public health data shows positive cases in Massachusetts communities and in our schools have increased over the past few weeks, fueled by Omicron variant BA.2 and subvariant BA.2 12.1. It’s impossible to predict if cases will continue to rise, but we know there are actions we can all take to minimize the impact of COVID-19.”

Positive cases continue to come out of the state house, SHNS reported, as it is now open to visitors, whether or not they have recently been vaccinated or had a COVID test.

Lawmakers are operating in a mask-optional environment, and lawmakers are allowed to attend meetings remotely, according to the SHNS.