Gloucester Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken Provides Update Amid Rise in COVID-19 Cases

Residents Urged to Continue Taking COVID-19 Precautions 

GLOUCESTER — Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken reports that the City of Gloucester has seen a recent uptick in positive cases of COVID-19.

The City of Gloucester has 30 active cases of COVID-19 as of Sunday, Nov. 15, up from 12 active cases as reported in the Department of Public Health’s weekly COVID-19 public health report on Thursday, Nov. 12. The recent rise in cases has been connected to social gatherings at private residences as well as transmission of the virus between family members.

Since the pandemic began, Gloucester has had 493 overall cases, of which 439 were confirmed and 54 were probable cases. There have been 26 COVID-19 related deaths in the City, and 438 people have recovered. 

“Although disappointing, this increase in active cases is not entirely unexpected as we are seeing a rise in cases statewide as well as locally through our wastewater testing,” Mayor Romeo Theken said. “This serves as an important reminder, especially with Thanksgiving only a week away: we all must remain vigilant and continue taking steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in order to protect each other.”

The City of Gloucester wishes to remind residents of Gov. Charlie Baker’s recent updated gatherings order, which was announced on Nov. 2 and went into effect Nov. 6:

• A stay at home advisory has been issued for 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night. Residents are asked to only leave home during these hours to go to work or school, or for essential needs like seeking emergency medical care, or going to the grocery store or pharmacy.
• Certain businesses and activities must close nightly by 9:30 p.m. to support the stay at home advisory. Affected businesses include restaurants, liquor stores, adult-use marijuana sales, indoor and outdoor events, theaters and movie theaters (including drive-in movie theaters), performance venues, youth and adult amateur sports activities, golf facilities, recreational boating and boating businesses, outdoor recreational experiences, casinos and horse tracks/simulcast facilities, driving and flight schools, zoos, botanical gardens, wildlife reserves, nature centers, close contact personal services, gyms, fitness centers, health clubs, indoor and outdoor pools, museums, cultural and historical facilities and guided tours. 
• Indoor gatherings at private residences are limited to 10 people and outdoor  gatherings at private residences are limited to 25 people. 
• Everyone is required to wear a face-covering in public, even if they are able to maintain six feet of distance from others. Those who cannot wear a face covering due to a medical or disabling condition are exempt.
  • Those carpooling with others they do not live with are also required to wear masks inside vehicles while carpooling.

The City of Gloucester further reminds residents to continue:

• Wearing a face covering or mask in public
• Maintaining six feet of distance from anyone you do not live with
• Wash and sanitize your hands frequently
• Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces regularly
• Stay home if you are sick, are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or believe you may have been exposed to the virus
  • If you have symptoms of COVID-19, contact your primary care physician and discuss whether or not you should get tested.

For the latest updates, visit the City’s website here. 

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