Virus claims seven in state

Massachusetts health officials on Monday reported seven new coronavirus deaths and 244 new cases as the average positive test rate stayed at a low level of 0.8%.

The seven new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID19 death toll to 9,317, 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 127,796 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 244 confirmed cases and 12 probable cases since Sunday. Of the 127,796 total cases, at least 109,397 people have recovered.

The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate remained at a low level of 0.8% on Monday.

Coronavirus hospitalizations went up by three patients, bringing the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 367.

There are 69 patients in the ICU, and 31 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 364 now.

An additional 10,823 tests have brought the state’s total to more than 3.4 million tests.

The state reported 24,777 residents and health care workers at long-term care facilities have now contracted the virus, with 382 facilities reporting at least one case of COVID-19.

Of the state’s 9,317 total coronavirus deaths, 5,980 are connected to long-term care facilities.

The U.S. has recorded more than 6.8 million coronavirus cases — the most cases in the world. More than 199,000 Americans have died, and more than 2.5 million have recovered.