Coronavirus-Related Death At Assisted Living Center In Newton

NEWTON, MA — More than one resident at a senior living community in Newton have passed away after contracting the new coronavirus, and there are a "substantial" number of other residents and staff who have also tested positive there, Mayor Ruthanne Fuller announced late Monday night.

"We are so very saddened to learn that Newton residents within the Falls at Cordingly Dam community have passed away from COVID-19 and we are closely following a substantial number of additional positive cases among residents and staff there," she said in a statement.

It's not immediately clear how many residents have passed.

As of 6 p.m. Monday the number of people who tested positive for the new coronavirus rose to 167 in Newton, up 10 from the day before. Last week the mayor announced the city's first three Newton Residents had died because of the coronavirus.

State officials announced an increase of 1,337 cases between Sunday and Monday to a total of 13,837 across the state. There were 29 new coronavirus deaths, bringing the death toll to 260 across the commonwealth. The increases reflect both community transmission and more testing. There were 4,492 new tests conducted, bringing the total to 76,429.

The Falls at Cordingly Dam on Washington Street is an assisted living community and offers memory care for residents with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia. Benchmark Senior Living is the owner of the Falls at Cordingly Dam, which gave the mayor permission to share the information, she said.

The mayor said she and the Newton Health and Human Services Department have been working to support their efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 among their residents and staff.

Fuller did not say whether the entire community had been tested, but she said that more positive cases are likely to be identified at the Falls.

The staff of the City of Newton Health and Human Services Department have reached out to senior living communities as well as other "congregate-type" entities, said Fuller, to provide guidance on protocols and staffing, access testing and protective equipment.

These settings where people live in close proximity have increased challenges in preventing transmission of COVID-19 and often have residents who are more vulnerable to severe complications. Monday the death toll at veterans' homes in Holyoke and Chelsea continued to rise.

Related:

• Veterans' Homes Coronavirus Deaths: 22 In Holyoke, 3 In Chelsea
• Curfew, Masks: Boston Mayor Announces New Coronavirus Rules
• Coronavirus In Newton: Number Of Cases Rise To 157

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).