Bay State logs 6 deaths

Massachusetts health officials on Tuesday reported six new coronavirus deaths and 175 new cases as the average positive test rate stayed at the Bay State’s record low.

The six new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 8,848, 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 nine now.

The state has logged 124,063 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 175 confirmed cases and 47 probable cases since Monday. Of the 124,063 total cases, at least 100,486 people have recovered.

The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate remained at 1.4% on Tuesday, the lowest-ever “observed value,” according to the Department of Public Health. The rate has been at 1.4% for the last five days.

Coronavirus hospitalizations went up by seven patients, bringing the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 374. Overall, the statewide hospitalization total has declined by 3,188 patients since May 5.

There are 66 patients in the ICU, and 23 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 371 now.

An additional 11,653 tests have brought the state’s total to more than 1.9 million tests.

The state reported 24,522 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 8,848 total coronavirus deaths, 5,662 are connected to long-term care facilities.

The U.S. has recorded more than 5.4 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world. More than 171,000 Americans have died, and more than 1.8 million have recovered.