Gov. Baker Predicts April 'Surge' In Coronavirus Illnesses; Mass. Case Total Surpasses 5,000

Gov. Charlie Baker predicted that the state's case peak would occur sometime between April 7 and 17 in a press conference Monday. He says state leaders are taking steps to prepare for that surge.

One such step: The state is working to add hundreds of beds in skilled nursing facilities dedicated to senior coronavirus patients who are entering recovery, in order to ease the burden of the crisis on state hospitals.

WBUR Senior State House Reporter Steve Brown spoke with All Things Considered host Lisa Mullins about the latest on hospital preparedness and the increase in coronavirus cases in Massachusetts, which as of Monday afternoon totaled 5752 — up 797 in the last 24 hours.