60 From Boston Hotel Head To Hospital To Test For Coronavirus

BOSTON — More than 60 people from a local hotel were taken to Brigham Women's hospital to get tested for new coronavirus, according to an email from Harvard Public Health.

The email said because of the process, officials would be closing Shattuck Street.

"[Brigham Women's Hospital] has it under control, but please avoid the area the rest of the day," the email said.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health asked Brigham and Women’s Hospital to assist in testing individuals who attended the Biogen conference in Boston last week for COVID-19.

"We have activated our central ambulatory screening and testing plan and will test patients outside of the hospital in the ambulance bay," a hospital spokesperson said in an email statement.

"Our Emergency Medicine colleagues will manage the testing, and individuals will return home to await results. We do not anticipate an influx of inpatients or any impact to hospital operations or normal patient activities," the spokesperson said.

It's not clear how the people were being transferred to the hospital, or how the testing was happening.

The development comes after the number of cases of the COVID-19 went from three to eight Friday, after several people who went to a Biogen conference in the city became ill.

• Coronavirus Update In United States: Weekend Of March 6
• MA Asks Health Insurers To Make Coronavirus Treatment Free

Health officials announced that two women and one man in their 40s in Boston were among that first conference group to come back with test results indicating they had the coronavirus.

"This is a rapidly evolving situation," Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said at a news conference earlier Friday.

There is still only one CDC confirmed positive case of coronavirus. That person is a UMass-Boston student in his 20s who is "doing well" and continues to be self-quarantined, Walsh said earlier.

The number of presumptive positive cases in Massachusetts Friday was at seven, the state's Department of Public Health said. A presumptive case means the state has tested the individuals positive for COVID-19 but is waiting on confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Including the confirmed UMass-Boston case, there were four positive cases in Boston, three in Norfolk County and one in Middlesex County as of Friday afternoon.

More than 700 people across the state had been tested for coronavirus as of Wednesday, according to state health officials. Some 249 were still under quarantine at mid week.

Patch will update this story with the latest information. Subscribe to your local Patch or keep up with Boston Patch for more updates on the coronavirus and other local news.