SALEM, MASS. (WHDH) - The City of Salem has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of July.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has notified the Salem Board of Health of 34 new cases in 26 days, city officials announced Monday.
About half of these cases were reportedly identified as breakthrough cases, meaning those who were fully vaccinated contracted the coronavirus.
In a statement, the Salem Board of Health said, “While this number of cases may not seem concerning, the Board of Health views this as a troubling trend as infection rates increase, especially with the rise of the Delta Variant comprising 83% of new infections in the United States.”
About 60 percent of Salem residents are fully vaccinated and the Board of Health is strongly encouraging everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated.
“Being fully vaccinated helps protect the community in two ways,” the Salem Board of Health said. “First, should a fully vaccinated person be diagnosed with COVID-19 they have a better chance of experiencing mild symptoms with much lower risk of severe illness or death. Second, should you contract COVID after being fully vaccinated the strong belief in the scientific community is that you will have a lower viral load, decreasing the chance of you infecting others in the community.”
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