COVID-19 Weekly Update Archive For The Month Of April 2022

by Art and Maura Keene

As Of Monday, May 24, 2021 The Indy’s COVID-19 Daily Update became the COVID-19 Weekly Update. As of Wednesday July 14 ,2021 the Weekly Update moved to Wednesdays. Each Wednesday we will post the latest confirmed case counts for Coronavirus (COVID-19) for Massachusetts, for the nation and for the globe.  

Making Sense of the Numbers
Authorities caution that the confirmed case count and death count is a substantial underestimate of the actual number of cases and deaths.  This underestimate is thought to be especially extreme under current conditions where the availability of testing and tracking have been greatly reduced.

We rely on well-vetted sources to produce our daily update and draw mostly from the following: Center for Disease Control (CDC), Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Johns Hopkins University, Yale School of Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Washington Post, New York Times, The Guardian, NPR, STAT News, and the Twitter feeds and/or blogs of Andy Slavitt, Greg Gonsolves, Ezekiel Emanuel, Marc Lipsich, and David Wallace-Wells.

Archives
The Indy began posting COVID-19 Daily Update on March 18, 2020. Here are links to archives of previous months’ posts. March  April , May,  June,  July,  August,  September,  October,  November,  December,  January, February, March 21, April 21, May 21, June 21, July 21, August 21, September 21, October 21, November 21, December 21, January 22, February 22, March 2022
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Henceforth, numbers in parentheses will indicate increase or decrease in count from previous Wednesday.

UPDATE WEDNESDAY April 27, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,746,596 (+15,426 ) Total Deaths: 20,238 (+57 ) (MA revised their COVID death counts the week of 3/9, removing nearly 4000 deaths previously attributed to COVID from the records).
Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –8303 (+107 ) Currently Active – 110 (-51) 14 day incidence average 49/ 100,000 (last week, 26.6 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 4032 (+93)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90. New cases for March 2022:52 (11 cases were reported before elimination of the mask mandate on 3/11 and 41 after). New cases for April 2022: 101. Total Since January 1, 2022: 713
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 82,789,716 (+373,029)
Confirmed Deaths – 1,019,008 (+2,849)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 510,931,797
Deaths: 6,249,521 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
COVID Ticks Down In Boston’s Wastewater
(Boston.com)
More Than Half Of Massachusetts Residents Have Been Infected With COVID
(Boston.com)
Non-COVID Respiratory Viruses Running Rampant In Massachusetts
(WCVB)
Vaccines For Young Children Delayed By Incomplete Data
(New York Times)
Moderna Seeks Emergency Use Authorization For COVID Vaccine For Children Ages 6 Months To Five
(CNN)
Pfizer Requests Authorization For COVID Booster For Children Aged 5-11
(CNN)
With Supplies More Abundant Pharmacies Struggle To Use Up COVID Pills
(New York Times)
Vice President Kamala Harris Tests Positive For COVID-19
(CNN)
Do Vaccines Protect Against Long COVID?
(New York Times)
Are Rapid Tests Reliable For Detecting BA-2 Variant?
(NPR)
China Expands COVID Testing To Almost All Of Beijing’s 22 Million Residents
(The Guardian)
COVID Rebound: Cases That Return After Antiviral Treatment Puzzle Doctors
(CNN)
The Faulty Foundation Of Our New Post-pandemic Normal
(Vox)
We Created The Pandemicene. Climate Change And Animal Viruses
(The Atlantic)
Are We In The Middle Of An Invisible COVID Wave?
(The Atlantic)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY April 20, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,731,170 (+15,021) Total Deaths: 20,181 (+15 ) (MA revised their COVID death counts the week of 3/9, removing nearly 4000 deaths previously attributed to COVID from the records).
Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –8196 (+203 ) Currently Active – 161 (+49) 14 day incidence average 26.6/ 100,000 (last week, 20.6 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 3939(+126)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90. New cases for March 2022:52 (11 cases were reported before elimination of the mask mandate on 3/11 and 41 after). New cases for April 2022: 71. Total Since January 1, 2022: 683
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 82,416,687 (+283,345)
Confirmed Deaths – 1,016,159 (+3,115)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 506,154,879
Deaths: 6,228,617 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
Experts Predict COVID Swell vs. Wave In Massachusetts As Cases Tick Up
(WBUR)
Moderna Says Redesigned COVID Booster Provides Better Protection
(NBC News)
Federal Judge Voids Mask Mandate For Public Transportation
(Stat News)
With Joy And Fear Americans Watch Mask Mandates Vanish
(New York Times)
Justice Department Appeals To Reinstate Mask Mandate
(New York Times)
Wearing A Mask Can Help Protect You Even If No One Else Wears One
(Time)
The End Of Airplane Masking Feels Momentous
(The Atlantic)
Leaving COVID Safety To Personal Choice Will Come Back To Bite Us
(CNBC)
World Hits 500 Million Official COVID Cases But Real Count Is Likely Billions
(New Atlas)
COVID Case Undercount: It’s Getting Even Harder To Tell How Many Americans Have COVID
(Washington Post)
About 30% Of COVID-19 Patients Suffer From Long COVID
(Jerusalem Post)
Here’s What We Know About COVID-19’s Impact On The Brain
(Science)
FDA Authorizes First COVID Breath Test
(CNN)
Fear, Paranoia, Anger – This Is Life Under China’s Zero COVID Strategy
(The Guardian)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY April 13, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,716,149 (+11,481) Total Deaths: 20,166 (+32 ) (MA revised their COVID death counts the week of 3/9, removing nearly 4000 deaths previously attributed to COVID from the records).
Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –7993 (+104 ) Currently Active – 112 (+47) 14 day incidence average 20.6/ 100,000 (last week, 14.9 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 3813 (+102)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90. New cases for March 2022:52 (11 cases were reported before elimination of the mask mandate on 3/11 and 41 after). New cases for April 2022: 52. Total Since January 1, 2022: 664
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 82,133,342 (+232,330)
Confirmed Deaths – 1,013,044 (+3,654)
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 501,265,463
Deaths: 6,210,499 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:
COVID-19 Cases Increasing In Massachusetts Again
(CBS Boston)
COVID-19 Cases Trend Up Again In US, Driven By BA-2 Variant
(CNN)
US Likely Dramatically Undercounting Current COVID Resurgence
(ABC News)
BA-2 Variant Now More Than 90% Of Cases In Northeast US
(CBS News)
The BA-2 Surge Could Wreak Unequal Havoc
(Medpage Today)
The Gridiron Club Dinner Was A Predictable Superspreader
(Medscape)
Are Large Indoor Events Safe? It’s Impossible To Know, Making “Personal Choice” A False One
(Inside Medicine)
Philadelphia Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate
(Philadelphia Inquirer)
Airlines That Dropped Mask Requirements Now Suffering Staff Shortages Due To COVID-19
(CBS News)
When Will The COVID Vaccine Be Available For Children Under 5?
(NBC Chicago)
Shanghai Vows Punishment For COVID Lockdown Violators As Cases Hit 25,000
(Reuters)
Herd Immunity Now Seems Impossible. Welcome To The World Of COVID Reinfection
(The Guardian)
The XE Variant. What We Know So Far
(Time)
New From Ed Yong: The Pandemic Has Trapped Millions In Unending Grief
(The Atlantic)
COVID 19 Wastewater Surveillance Date Base – The Best Metric Available Infection Trends
(Centers For Disease Control)

UPDATE WEDNESDAY April 6, as of 8 AM
Total Confirmed Cases in MA – 1,704,668 (+8,918) Total Deaths: 20,134 (+37 ) (MA revised their COVID death counts the week of 3/9, removing nearly 4000 deaths previously attributed to COVID from the records).
Total Confirmed Cases in Amherst –7889 (+63 ) Currently Active – 65 (-4) 14 day incidence average 14.9/ 100,000 (last week, 19.3 /100,000)
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases: 2565 through May 15, 2021
UMass: Cumulative Positive Cases Beginning September 1, 2021 – 3711 (+49)
Amherst Public Schools: Cumulative Cases Beginning September 1, 2020-Jamuary 1, 2022: 322. COVID Cases form January 1, – February 28 2022: 465. Number of new cases for February 2022: 90. New cases for March 2022:52 (11 cases were reported before elimination of the mask mandate on 3/11 and 41 after). New cases for April 2022: 5. Total Since January 1, 2022: 612
Source For Amherst – Town Of Amherst Dashboard
Source For UMass UMass Dashboard
Source For Amherst Public Schools – ARPS Dashboard
Sources for Amherst Area Schools and Colleges.
Source for Massachusetts: NYT Daily Dashboard
Confirmed Cases in USA – 81,900,012 (+213,384)
Confirmed Deaths – 1,009,390 (+4,334))
Source: Worldometers 
Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 494,288,041
Deaths: 6,184,385 Source: Worldometers see also: Johns Hopkins University.

News:

Amid Climbing Massachusetts COVID Cases, Health Experts Urge Boosters
(Boston Globe)
BA-2 Sub-variant Spreading Quickly In US. Now 72% Of Cases. Experts Say Don’t Panic
(NBC News)
Current COVID Vaccines Not Well Matched Against BA-2
(Reuters)
COVID Hospitalizations Hit New Low In US
(NBC News)
CDC, Under Fire For COVID Response, Announces Plans To Revamp Agency
(Washington Post)
Systemic Racism Continues To Plague COVID Response
(Union Of Concerned Scientists Blog)
How Sewage Can Warn Us About The Next Pandemic
(Vox)
Long COVID May Remain A Chronic Condition for Millions
(CNN)
How COVID And Diabetes Collide In A Public Health Train Wreck
(New York Times)
UK COVID Infections Jump By A Million In A Week
(Financial Times)
No End In Sight For China’s COVID Lockdown
(CNN)
Shanghai’s Grim COVID Outbreak Threatens Global Supply Chain
(The Guardian)
Excess Mortality: What A Single Metric Tells Us About The Pandemic
(New York Magazine)
The US Could Be In For A Double Whammy: A Surge It Cares To Neither Measure Nor Respond To
(The Atlantic)
Americans Want To Return To Normal. But They Also Don’t
(The Atlantic)
Is Ukraine Barreling Toward A COVID Surge?
(The Atlantic)