As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases across the state decreases, numbers in Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester have increased only slightly.

As of May 14, Marion has two active cases of coronavirus and seven recovered cases. As of May 13, Mattapoisett has no new cases and a total of 25 confirmed cases in town. On May 12, Rochester had 10 active cases and 22 total cases.

The state numbers for Marion and Mattapoisett correspond with the town totals, but its May 13 numbers for Mattapoisett show one more case than the town’s total of 24. Public health nurse Amanda Stone said that this is because new cases get reported to the state before being entered into the database system that she pulls numbers from, so the state may know of a case that Stone doesn’t yet know about at the time of submitting numbers to be published on the town’s website. 

“It’s not because we’re hiding a case, it’s because the system isn’t updated,” said Stone.

Marion’s case numbers show a decrease in active cases by one and increase in total cases by two. 

In Mattapoisett, cases increased by two, but the number of new cases decreased by one since May 7.

Rochester last updated its numbers on May 5, when it had had eight active cases and seven recovered cases.

This is a much lower case rate than other South Coast towns. Acushnet had 59 cases, Wareham had 171 cases, Fairhaven had 158 cases and Dartmouth had 240 reported cases based on the state numbers on May 13. Many of the cases in Dartmouth were in congregate living facilities, with 11 also at the Bristol County House of Corrections.

On May 12, there were 24 coronavirus patients at Tobey Hospital, three of whom were in the intensive care unit.

Testing at Tobey Hospital and across the Southcoast system continues to increase, and about 10,000 tests have been administered so far across the system.

“We are encouraged by some of the numbers that we’re seeing as it relates to testing and hospitalization, but we are not at a point at which these numbers would dictate any kind of decision making,” said Shawn Badgley, the public information officer for Southcoast. “We feel like we're on the right path, we feel like the region is going in the right direction, but we are still diligently determining what these numbers mean for our patients and the communities that we serve.”

Tests are by appointment only. Those who want to be tested can have one ordered by any Southcoast physician or through the hospital’s covid hotline at 508-973-1919, which is available from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.