Pittsfield Sees COVID Spike in Sewage Testing, Another Death

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Sewage testing is showing a post-holiday COVID-19 spike.

On Tuesday, the city's virus concentration in sewage rose to 3 million copies per liter, compared to 1.3 million copies per liter on Christmas. 

Director of Public Health Andy Cambi has indicated that the sewage concentration is the most accurate indicator of the virus' presence in the community because the other metrics don't include at-home tests.

There was also another death that occurred in late December, bringing the city's total to 92.

Hospitalizations have remained low, as there were fewer than 10 COVID patients at Berkshire Medical Center earlier in the week.


Pittsfield saw 32.5 cases per 100,000 people on Tuesday and the positivity rate was 12.1 percent.  There are about 76 estimated actively contagious cases, a metric that has gone down from over 100 at the beginning of the year.

The city remains in the red incidence rate for having more than 10 average cases per 100,000 population and a positivity rate above 5 percent. It has essentially been in this category since last year with some reprieve in the spring that put the city in the lesser "yellow zone."

Before Thanksgiving, there was a low of around 470,000 copies per liter, a percent positivity rate of 5.4 percent, and 13.6 cases per 100,000.

For Berkshire County, there is a 7-day average of 33 cases. The state's 7-day average is nearly 1,600.


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Pittsfield Considering Nonprofit for School Investigation

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council and School Committee will consider a children's advocacy nonprofit to audit the Pittsfield Public Schools.

On Tuesday, the council supported a petition from Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren requesting to schedule a joint meeting to receive a presentation from Jetta Bernier, executive director of Enough Abuse.

"The object is, we're trying to address a serious problem of sexual abuse in the schools," Warren said. "And I want to get this off the ground and I want to get us moving."

On Dec. 11, PHS Dean of Students Lavante Wiggins was arrested and charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office for allegedly conspiring to traffic large quantities of cocaine. He was the first of three staff members to be put on administrative leave, the other two being investigated by the state Department of Children and Families.

Another former staff member at PHS is also under DCF investigation and a civil complaint has been filed against a recently retired teacher and the school related to sexual harassment.

Bulkley Richardson Gelinas of Springfield has been hired for "independent and impartial investigations of certain Pittsfield Public School employees." Last week, the School Committee tabled a retainer agreement with Mirick and O'Connell to audit the district's employment practices and procedures, a second investigation.

Warren pointed out that issues are constantly raised in the city and then die down. He doesn't want to see that happen here.

"Some of that occurs when the public doesn't have much of an opportunity to be involved. I think you see that with the public not having a chance to address the investigation process. I'm lucky that I'm a public official so I was able to address some of the investigation components that should have been added that weren't," he said.

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