Positive cases jump in Mass.; governor enacts state of emergency

BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts as the number of people who have tested positive for the new coronavirus in the state jumped by 51 to 92. Of that number, 70 are connected to a meeting held by biotech company Biogen at a downtown Boston hotel. At least six are currently hospitalized.

Baker said the state of emergency will give him greater power to take actions like shutting down events with large gatherings of people or gaining access to buildings or stockpiling protective gear if needed without getting bogged down in existing paperwork requirements. Baker is also restricting virtually all travel by executive branch employees and encouraging teleworking. There are about 42,000 executive branch workers. Baker urged companies and organizations to consider adopting the same measures.

“At this time the number of people infected and requiring medical attention is very much within our health care system’s capacity,” he said. “The purpose of moving forward with these measures now is to act before the numbers increase.”

Baker, who last week had said the risk of contracting the virus is low, on Tuesday said that given the new numbers of those who have tested positive, the risk of infection has increased.

Baker, who returned early from a vacation in Utah, also urged older individuals to avoid crowded venues like concerts or porting events. State health officials are also urging nursing homes to bar those who have traveled overseas or who are showing symptoms of respiratory infection such as coughing and shortness of breath.

Baker also said schools should cancel all out-of-state travel in addition to overseas travel.

Marathon still planned

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said Tuesday the Boston Marathon scheduled for next month is still on — for now — a day after the city announced the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade has been canceled.

Conversations with those involved in the marathon — which expects about 31,000 runners as well as a million spectators and pumps more than $200 million into the city’s economy — are ongoing, Walsh said at an impromptu news conference outside City Hall.

Walsh said the city is also working on determining which city employees can work from home; cleaning and sanitizing schools throughout the day every day; and working on solutions for the city’s homeless population, such as spreading them across the city in mini shelters rather than concentrating them in just a few shelters.

Half-marathon canceled

Another popular race in Massachusetts — the New Bedford Half Marathon — has been canceled.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said that while there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the area, the unique nature of the event poses a risk that is higher than other public gatherings. He said the race attracts as many as 3,000 runners — including many from places where COVID-19 cases have been confirmed.

“This decision is not made lightly,” Mitchell said.