Pittsfield COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Rise

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — COVID-19 cases continue to rise after a surge that pushed the city into the "red zone."  Hospitalizations have also increased.

On Sunday, the percent positivity rate was 12.4 and there were 106 cases per 100,000 people. This is a stark contrast to the positivity rate of 2.1 in late March, when there were only about 13 cases per 100,000 people.

Berkshire County reported 342 new cases on Monday, which includes cases from over the weekend.

There are currently 17 people hospitalized at Berkshire Medical Center who have tested positive for the virus, which is a rise from early last week when there were 14 and then seven hospitalizations. Some 24 patients also have pending tests, according to Berkshire Health System's COVID dashboard.

In Pittsfield, there are about 341 estimated actively contagious cases.

Superintendent Joseph Curtis disclosed a possible return of masking last week in the schools if the cases continued to rise. In his update to Pittsfield Public School students and families dated May 6, he reported 102 cases in the district, about 30 cases higher than his previous communication to families.  

There was no report of a return to masking and he noted that about 50 cases will be removed from that number because the infected students and staff are eligible to return to school on Monday. However, the newest count on Monday showed 91 cases in the schools. 

"Each day this week, we have been doing a close analysis of each case in each classroom at each school along with the overall picture in the Pittsfield Public Schools. The school case count report currently shows 102 cases for today, an increase of one case from yesterday. Over the weekend, 52 of our current active cases will be removed from the report summary as those students and staff members will be eligible to return to school on Monday," Curtis wrote on Friday.

"At this time, we do not have evidence of widespread student transmission throughout any school or the district as a whole. Two classrooms at one elementary school were closed this week for three days due to staffing. The reported school cases will continue to be watched through the weekend and next week each day to determine if additional health and safety protocols are warranted."

Last week, Director of Public Health Andy Cambi said the positivity rate has "dramatically increased” in the last 14 days and urged residents to take precautions.

He will give a monthly COVID-19 update at the City Council meeting Tuesday.

Pittsfield entered the red incidence rate last month when its positivity rate rose to 5 percent. This category is defined by having more than 10 average cases per 100,000 and having a higher than 5 percent positivity rate in a 14-day period.

In early March, the positivity rate dipped into the yellow zone after the city spent months in the red.  To be in the yellow zone, a community must have 10 or fewer average cases per 100,000 people or have a 5 percent or less positivity rate.

Around that time, Curtis announced that mask-wearing was optional in Pittsfield Public Schools.

In February, the Board of Health voted to move the city's masking directive implemented in November to a masking advisory.

Cases began surging in November and the city entered the red zone late that month. Early that month, the Board of Health voted to implement a mask directive stating that masks should be worn in all publicly accessible indoor spaces in the city unless seated at a table eating food or drink.

To view the city's virus trends, visit the Community Impact Dashboard.

ServiceNet Cuts Ribbon on Vocational Farm to 'Sow Seeds of Hope'

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
06:30AM / Saturday, May 18, 2024

Lori Carnute plants flowers at the farm and enjoys seeing her friends. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Smiles were all around as farmers, human service workers, and officials cut the ribbon Friday on ServiceNet's new vocational farm on Crane Avenue.

Whether it is planting flowers or growing fresh produce, the program is for "sowing seeds of hope" for those with developmental disabilities.

"What Prospect Meadow Farm is about is changing lives," Vice President of Vocational Services Shawn Robinson said.

"Giving people something meaningful to do, a community to belong to, a place to go every day and to make a paycheck, and again, I am seeing that every day from our first 17 farmhands the smiles on their faces. They're glad to be here. They're glad to be making money."

Prospect Meadow Farm Berkshires held a launch event on Friday with tours, music, snacks, and a ribbon cutting in front of its tomato greenhouse. The nonprofit human service agency closed on the former Jodi's Seasonal on Crane Avenue earlier this year.  

It is an expansion of ServiceNet's first farm in Hatfield that has provided meaningful agricultural work, fair wages, and personal and professional growth to hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since opening in 2011.

Eventually, the farm will employ 50 individuals with developmental disabilities year-round and another 20 to 25 local folks supporting their work.

The pay is a great aspect for Billy Baker, who is learning valuable skills for future employment doing various tasks around the farm. He has known some of the ServiceNet community for over a decade.

"I just go wherever they need me to help," he said. "I'm more of a hands-on person."