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Local banks have started to see the number of loans requiring COVID-19-related modifications decline but continue to watch how the pandemic could affect their loan portfolios.

“We continue to support our loan customers with temporary repayment modifications to assist them through the pandemic, including full payment deferrals and interest-only accommodations,” Richard Gavegnano, East Boston Savings Bank’s chairman, president and CEO said in the bank’s third quarter earnings statement. “We have remained in close contact with these borrowers to understand their needs as the initial modification periods come to end and we expect that most of these borrowers will be able to improve their repayment status, with many returning to either full payment or interest-only payments for an additional period.”

Gavegnano added that East Boston Savings Bank’s total COVID-19-related modifications have declined nearly 50 percent from June 30 to Oct. 19.

Lowell-based Enterprise Bank had granted short-term payment deferrals due to the COVID-19 pandemic on 1,130 loans as of June 30 for $594.8 million, or 22 percent of the portfolio. The short-term deferrals remained active as of Sept. 30 on 178 loans totaling $104.1 million, or 4 percent of the portfolio.

Brookline Bancorp, the parent company of both Brookline Bank and Bank Rhode Island, has seen about 77 percent of loans that were granted an initial loan payment deferral return to payment status. As of Sept. 30, 910 loans totaling $280 million, 3.8 percent of total outstanding loans, have been modified.

Brookline said in its earnings presentation that it was closely watching exercise, retail and laundry industries that have been affected by government mandates.

Brookline Bancorp had net income of $18.7 million, or $0.24 per basic and diluted share, for the third quarter of 2020, compared to $22.6 million, or $0.28 per basic and diluted share, for the third quarter of 2019.

East Boston Savings Bank had third quarter net income of $16.7 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, compared to $19.7 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2019. For the nine months ending Sept. 30, net income was $46.9 million, or $0.93 per diluted share, compared to $49.9 million, or $0.97 per diluted share, for the first nine months of 2019.

Enterprise Bank had third quarter net income of $10.3 million, or $0.87 per diluted share, compared to $9.0 million, or $0.76 per diluted share, for the third quarter last year. Net income for the nine months ending Sept. 30 was $21.6 million, or $1.81 per diluted share, compared to $25.5 million, or $2.15 per diluted share, for the same time period last year.