Virus positive test rate at all-time low

Massachusetts health officials on Sunday reported 11 new coronavirus deaths and 303 new cases as the average positive test rate stayed at the state’s record low of 1.4%.

The 11 new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 8,838, 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 14 now.

The state has logged 123,593 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 303 confirmed cases and 91 probable cases since Saturday. Of the 123,593 total cases, at least 100,486 people have recovered.

The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate stayed at 1.4% on Sunday, the lowest ever “observed value,” according to the Department of Public Health.

The rate rose from 1.7% in mid-July to 2.2% last week before declining over the past week.

Coronavirus hospitalizations went down by three patients, bringing the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 372. Overall, the statewide hospitalization total has declined by 3,190 patients since May 5.

There are 65 patients in the ICU, and 28 patients 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 382 now.

An additional 15,467 tests have brought the state’s total to more than 1.9 million tests.

The state reported 24,507 residents and health care workers at long-term care facilities have now contracted the virus, with 379 facilities reporting at least one case of COVID-19.

Of the state’s 8,838 total coronavirus deaths, 5,653 are connected to long-term care facilities.

The U.S. has recorded more than 5.3 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world. More than 169,000 Americans have died, and more than 1.8 million have recovered.