78 more die from virus in Mass.

Trends continue downward

Massachusetts health officials on Sunday reported that 78 more people have died from the coronavirus as the number of confirmed cases increased by 664.

Coronavirus hospitalizations went down by 80 patients, following a recent trend that brings the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 1,824. Overall, the statewide hospitalization total has declined by 1,738 since May 5.

The 78 new deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 6,846, the state Department of Public Health announced. The three-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from 161 at the start of May to 56 now.

The state has logged 96,965 confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 664 cases since Saturday.

At least 1,824 people in Massachusetts are currently being hospitalized for the coronavirus — and 436 patients are currently in the ICU.

The highest peak of Massachusetts coronavirus hospitalizations was 3,965 on April 21. The three-day average of the number of coronavirus hospitalizations has gone from 3,707 on May 1 to 1,906 now.

An additional 10,334 tests have brought the state’s total to 592,853 tests. The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate has declined from 16.6% on May 1 to 7.1% now.

Middlesex County has the most confirmed cases in Massachusetts with 21,287 cases, followed by Suffolk County with 17,936 cases.

The state reported 21,127 residents and health care workers at long-term care facilities have now contracted the virus, with 349 facilities reporting at least one case of COVID19.

Of the state’s 6,846 total coronavirus deaths, 4,257 deaths are connected to long-term care facilities.

The U.S. has recorded more than 1.7 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world. More than 104,000 Americans have died, and more than 416,000 have recovered.

New York is the country’s hot spot with more than 29,700 deaths and 370,000 cases.

There are more than 6 million confirmed cases worldwide and more than 369,000 deaths. More than 2.5 million people have recovered.