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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 28 april 2020
‘Still in the surge’: Virus keeps a hold on Massachusetts

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER is thought to be far higher
Associated Press because many people
The coronavirus kept a have not been tested, and
tight grip Monday on hard- studies suggest people
hit Massachusetts, which can be infected without
added 1,000 new deaths feeling sick.
in just five days as the pan- Massachusetts has the
demic peaks in the state. third highest number of
Massachusetts surpassed confirmed COVID-19 cas-
3,000 reported deaths, es among U.S. states, be-
and there are indications hind New York and New
the true death toll from the Jersey.
disease could be much There are signs that the
higher. Officials are hope- worst days for Massachu-
ful things could be turning setts may be behind it.
a corner, but devasta- Hospitalizations have lev-
tion remains apparent as eled off, and more than
newspapers print page af- 50% of the state's hospital
ter page of death notices. beds remain available for
The state is "still in the surge patients. But officials warn
and very much in the it could take some time
fight against COVID-19," before numbers across
Republican Gov. Charlie the board improve dra-
Baker told reporters Mon- People wear face masks out of concern for the coronavirus as they wait to enter a supermarket matically. "We flattened
day. "We will keep the fight Sunday, April 26, 2020, in Chelsea, Mass. the curve," Baker said. "It
up all the way to the end, Associated Press. seems to have plateaued,
knowing that when we ton Globe suggests that same Sunday last year, the For most people, the coro- depending on which part
come out the other side the deaths are probably Globe ran just seven pag- navirus causes mild or of Massachusetts you are
there will be better times undercounted, since total es of death notices, the moderate symptoms, such in. The hope and expecta-
and brighter days." deaths in the state rose newspaper said. as fever and cough, that tion is it will start to fall, but
Massachusetts health of- by 11% last month com- Nearly 1,700 of the deaths clear up in two to three it will probably fall slowly."
ficials reported 104 new pared with the average in Massachusetts have weeks. For some, espe- And improving numbers
COVID-19 deaths Mon- for March over the past been residents of long- cially older adults and the bring little solace to Cam-
day, bringing the number 20 years even as the state term care facilities, such as infirm, it can cause more bridge resident Rich Ste-
of deaths in the state since saw a steep decline in fa- nursing homes, and more severe illness, including vens, whose uncle died of
the pandemic began to tal accidents and suicides. than 98% of all the people pneumonia. COVID-19 over the week-
3,003. The state also report- In a picture of the toll the who died had other health There have been more end.
ed 1,524 new cases, for a virus has taken on the problems, health officials than 55,000 deaths across "I doubt my aunt and cous-
total of more than 56,400 state, the Globe on Sun- say. The average age of the U.S., according to ins see anything encour-
cases. day ran 21 pages of paid people who have died is Johns Hopkins University. aging in these numbers,"
An analysis from The Bos- death notices. On the 82. The number of infections he said. "I know I don't."q

Riots, escapes and fear as coronavirus hits juvenile centers

Continued from Front of these politicians.” As cording to relatives and juvenile centers in other co- Justice Lab and a former
more and more state and youth advocates. They say ronavirus hot spots such as correctional administrator,
Ten youths have tested po- local officials announce many have been cut off New York. Young people said he hoped these pro-
sitive at Bridge City in re- the release of thousands from programs, counselors are calling their parents blems would serve as a
cent weeks. of at-risk inmates from the and school. Some have not to say they’re scared and warning to other juvenile
“This could be life or death nation’s adult jails and pri- been issued masks, social desperate to escape. She- facilities, especially those
for my child,” said Hingle, sons, parents along with distancing is nearly impossi- riff’s deputies responded to that have not yet been hit
adding that her son was children rights’ groups and ble and they have been gi- a facility in Portland, Ore- by the virus.
among a group transferred criminal justice experts say ven limited access to pho- gon, this month after a “dis- “If this storm is coming in your
to the Acadiana Center vulnerable youths should ne calls home. One mother turbance” broke out, but direction, don’t wait until
for Youth after the brawl, be allowed to serve their reported that her daugh- no injuries were reported. you have 100 mile-an-hour
where they were pepper- time at home. But they say ter was so cut off from the “The department has main- winds to put the boards up
sprayed twice over the demands for large-scale outside world — with no TV tained essential staff at the on the windows,” he said.
weekend by parole officers releases have been largely and staff not wearing any juvenile detention center “Deal with it now. Come up
brought in to help due to ignored. Decisions are of- protective gear — that the in accordance with natio- with your COVID plan now.
short staffing. ten not made at the state girl had no idea a deadly nal standards throughout Get everybody out of your
“I don’t want condolen- level, but instead carried virus was even circulating the COVID-19 outbreak, facility that can be gotten
ces from the state. I don’t out county by county, with in America. In some states, and is working hard to ba- out, start training your staff,
want condolences from individual judges reviewing authorities have been shut- lance the social and emo- start developing your lines
the governor,” she said. juvenile cases one by one. tling kids between facilities, tional needs of youth in our of communication, so that
“I do not want sympathy. Such legal hurdles have trying to make sure sick and care during this extraordi- if people start getting sick
I want them to do what is resulted in some kids with healthy young people are nary time,” the Multnomah and staff start calling in sick,
right on behalf of our kids symptoms being thrown kept apart. Growing fears County Juvenile Services then you can manage it as
because they cannot save into isolation for 23 hours and frustrations have led Division said in a statement. best you can.”
themselves nor can we a day, in what amounts to to violence and mayhem Vincent Schiraldi, co-direc-
save them without the help solitary confinement, ac- not just in Louisiana, but at tor at Columbia University Continued on Page 26