The city of Worcester is advising residents to wear masks indoors as COVID-19 cases have reached their highest point since Februrary, city health officials said Friday.
The seven-day daily average of cases reached 128.9 since this year’s low on March 12, officials said in a statement. Hospitalizations have also increased with 72 inpatients and 11 in intensive care, the city said in a statement.
The city has also had 534 residents die from COVID since the pandemic started in 2020.
Worcester had 902 cases confirmed this week, compared to 595 confirmed last week, according to data on the city’s COVID-19 dashboard.
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Residents are urged to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible, avoid crowded spaces when possible and get tested and stay home from work and school when feeling cold or flu symptoms in addition to wearing a mask indoors and at restaurants, especially for those age 60 and older, have a chronic condition or are immunocompromised, city health officials said.
New positive COVID-19 cases have been reported in neighboring towns of Shrewsbury and Grafton as well. The seven-day daily averages have increased to 26.8 in Shrewsbury and 11.7 in Grafton, the statement said.
Worcester County is one of 11 counties statewide determined to be at high risk for the virus by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the statement said.
Vaccinations and booster shots are available in Worcester without appointments at the UMass Memorial Health clinic at the Mercantile Center and Worcester Public Library.
Madison Mercado can be reached at madison.mercado@globe.com.