Salem Sees Declines In Active Coronavirus Cases

SALEM, MA — The percentage of confirmed coronavirus cases in Salem fell under 76 percent Friday, down from the high water mark of 83 percent on April 16.

As of Friday, Salem has recorded 465 positive tests for the new coronavirus for an infection rate of 988.48 per 100,000 residents. That's below the state infection rate of 1,033.83 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents. Of the 465 Salem residents who have tested positive for coronavirus, 113 have recovered and 23 have died.

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On Thursday, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll told the Salem News the city has begun working on a plan for reopening nonessential businesses when the state lifts its emergency order. That date is tentatively scheduled for May 18, but both Driscoll and Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker have said it will be a slow reopening in phases.

In her interview with the newspaper, Driscoll suggested the city would consider expanding outdoor dining and retail to offer more capacity. But Driscoll also said it would be a bad year for the city's tourism industry.

More Coronavirus Coverage On Massachusetts Patch:

• Sympathy Cards Are The Latest Hot Commodity In The Coronavirus Pandemic
• April State Tax Revenue Takes Big Hit
• Complaints Spikes With Mask Order, Nice Weather
• Coronavirus Case Counts For Every Massachusetts Town (Updated May 6)

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).