Virus cases up 702, schools delay next phase
State health officials on Friday reported 30 new coronavirus deaths and 702 new cases — with worries about a new wave postponing Boston’s next phase of school inperson learning.
City schools officials announced they are pushing back a phase 3 of returning to in-person learning due to an uptick in confirmed positive cases and a citywide infection rate that now sits at 4.4%.
Students in prekindergarten through first grade will now return to school for hybrid learning no sooner than Oct. 29 instead of Oct. 22, Boston Public Schools announced.
Due in part to the delay, high-needs students will now be able to attend school in person for four days a week instead of two.
According to a new coronavirus dashboard for the BPS, there have been 10 COVID-19 cases in the district.
Statewide, the 702 new cases fits in with some recent daily reports of 700-plus cases — the highest numbers since the spring — despite 568 cases reported on Thursday.
The 30 new coronavirus deaths bring the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 9,702, the state Department of Public Health said. The three-day average of coronavirus daily deaths has dropped from a peak of 161 in May to 18 now but the lowest ever was 9.
The state has logged 142,346 cases of the highly contagious disease, an increase of 702 cases since Thursday. Of the total cases, at least 118,892 people have recovered.
On Wednesday, Massachusetts health officials reported that 63 communities are now in the high-risk category for the coronavirus — a state record.
See city and town stats The seven-day weighted average of the state’s positive test rate increased slightly from 1.3% on Thursday to 1.4% on Friday. Its lowest ever was .8%.
Coronavirus hospitalizations went up by 10 patients, bringing the state’s COVID-19 hospitalization total to 513.
The highest peak of Massachusetts’ coronavirus hospitalizations was 3,965 on April 21. The three-day average of coronavirus hospitalizations has jumped from 308 last month to 505 now.
There are 77 patients in the ICU, and 33 patients are currently intubated. There are just two hospitals currently using surge capacity.
The state reported 25,266 residents and health care workers at long-term care facilities have now contracted the virus. Of the state’s total coronavirus deaths, 6,254 are connected to longterm care facilities.