COVID deaths in Bay State up 30; detected cases increase 264

Massachusetts health officials on Wednesday reported 30 more people have died from the coronavirus and 264 new cases as the statewide positive test rate remained low.

The 30 new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 8,243, 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 16 now.

The state has logged 110,602 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 162 confirmed cases since Tuesday and 102 probable cases. Of the 110,602 total cases, at least 94,347 people have recovered.

Coronavirus hospitalizations went up by 41 patients, bringing the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 662. Overall, the statewide hospitalization total has declined by 2,900 since May 5.

There are 102 patients in the ICU, and 49 are currently intubated.

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 629 now.

An additional 9,133 tests have brought the state’s total to 1,157,023 tests. The sevenday weighted average of the state’s positive test rate has declined from 16.6% on May 1 to 2.0% now.

Middlesex County has the most confirmed cases in Massachusetts with 24,300 cases, followed by Suffolk County with 20,120 cases.

The state reported 23,612 residents and health care workers at long-term care facilities have now contracted the virus, with 369 facilities reporting at least one case of COVID-19.

Of the state’s 8,243 total coronavirus deaths, 5,220 are connected to long-term care facilities.

The U.S. has recorded more than 3 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world. More than 131,000 Americans have died, and more than 935,000 have recovered.

There are more than 11.9 million confirmed cases worldwide and more than 545,000 deaths. More than 6.5 million people have recovered.