Latest Peabody Coronavirus Update: City Records First 3 Deaths

PEABODY, MA — The new coronavirus outbreak in Massachusetts and across the country is having vast impacts in Peabody. Patch has compiled this round-up of the latest, local coronavirus news.

Two men and a woman from Peabody have died from the new coronavirus. Speaking during a remote meeting Thursday, Health Director Sharon Cameron said all three victims were in their eighties and had been hospitalized.

As of April 9, there were 178 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Peabody. Some of the increases were attributed to increased availability of testing.

"We're experiencing really rapid increases in the number of cases in the community that have been identified," Cameron said. "We also believe that this represents and increase in transmission of the virus in our community, unfortunately."

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In other city news:

• The city assigned a public health nurse to each of Peabody's six nursing homes. About 38 percent of Peabody's cases are in patients over the age of 70, which is higher than the statewide average of 19 percent.
• State education officials announced Thursday that MCAS exams have been canceled for the current school year.

More Coronavirus Coverage On Massachusetts Patch:

• Massachusetts Coronavirus Case Map: Updated
• Mapping Massachusetts Coronavirus: Where Are State's ICU Beds?
• How To Get Health Care If You're Uninsured During Coronavirus
• Bells Ring At Otherwise Silent Churches Amid Continued Shutdown
• Newly Found Commuter Cash Helping Needy During Crisis

Dave Copeland writes for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).